Who Are We?
American Veteran Operated
Pinnacle Diving Company is an American veteran-operated English-speaking professional diving service based in Kanagawa, Japan, and we nurture and grow the BEST divers on Earth.
Diving Is Our Passion
We have a passion for diving. Our adventure is exploring the world-over, our mission is to teach, train, certify, and mentor, hands-down, the best divers in the world, and our goal is to grow a competent, confident, capable, and safe dive community, that truly cares about the health of the oceans, the planet, and each other.
Dive Safety Through Education
The quality of your education is paramount to your success, and the distinguishing difference of a skilled, safe diver. We offer courses through NAUI, and continuous mentorship, to help you succeed and grow to become the BEST diver you can become.
World Famous Destinations
We take our divers across Japan and to world-famous international dive destinations all year long. Our dive trips have become famous among certified divers looking for adventure both in and outside of Japan.
US Military Service Provider
PDC is the only authorized, NAUI Approved VA Testing Center in Japan. We are the service provider for all US military installations, SOFA members, and US veterans across mainland Japan, and can help you reach your diving goals. You can even use your VA benefits to learn to dive for free, and earn your certifications all the way up to being a professional if you want to.
Advanced Diving Equipment
Pinnacle Diving Company is an official dealer for brands like Highly Optimized Gear, X-Deep, Dive Unlimited International (DUI), Beuchat, Atmos, Shearwater, Suunto, Northern Diver UK, and more, and has working relationships with a number of brands not listed here.
Occupational Services
Pinnacle Diving has experience providing expeditionary diving operations and services by contract for clients and organizations around the world. These include teaching certification courses, underwater photography and videography, site surveys, recovery and light salvage work, consultations and advisory services, rescue diver and SAR dive services, light pier-side maintenance and husbandry, and more.
The BEST Education Makes The Safest Divers
"Dive Safety Through Education"
Dive training requires study and education in math, physics, biology, chemistry, a practical understanding of environmental and earth sciences, some engineering, psychology, leadership and leadership development, and much, much more as it relates to the activity of SCUBA diving. Training to be a SCUBA diver promotes athleticism, personal confidence and self-awareness, team-building, critical thinking and complex problem-solving, and contributes to development and growth as a well-rounded individual.
As such, we can safely say that the quality of your education is paramount to your success, and the distinguishing difference of a skilled, safe diver.
Exceeding the standard is "The Standard"
We genuinely seek to improve the diving community by offering quality education and training, along with continuous skills improvement and progression through mentorship, thereby growing divers with high skill levels from day one who are safer and more capable because of it.
Why NAUI?
NAUI maintains a global reputation as the best in training and education, and this is a direct reflection of NAUI's core values of quality dive training through education.
After years of teaching, we have found that NAUI's standards, and policy of academic freedom, are the best fit for divers that truly want to master the skills necessary to be safe, competent, confident, capable divers. This assures that upon certification you are comfortable in the water, can enjoy diving, and will develop a strong desire to continue learning more.
NAUI certifications are respected and recognized worldwide, and to earn a certification as a NAUI diver is to know you have received the best education and training in the industry.
What Do Our Students Say About Our Training?
Ash - Google Review
Did my Sidemount course with AJ at Pinnacle Diving over 2 weekends. Was a fantastic experience! He is a very capable instructor - military trained and highly attentive. From beginning to end he assisted with all aspects of the course: gear selection, setup, learning materials and of course open water instruction. His approach is very "mentorship based" which results in you becoming a much better diver. I can't recommend enough!
Karsten - Google Review
I had a great experience learning with AJ at Pinnacle Diving Company. In addition to the online coursework, the real value is in the expertise of the instructor. AJ was a great teacher and his professionalism and excellence really helped the learning process. He adapted to the speed of learning of the students and made it easy to slow down when we needed a little more time and we dug deeper and faster when we had concepts and skills well in hand. As a former military diver, someone who used to do this as a job, he was able to cover safety lessons useful for recreational diving, all while maintaining a pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere.
For those looking for a great training environment, strongly consider Pinnacle Diving Company.
Simone - Google Review
I just completed the Altitude Diving training with Pinnacle and it was an amazing experience. Although I had my initiation in the Scuba world through Padi, I knew I needed to improve basic skills like buoyancy and trim and get over my fear / trauma of dry suit diving. I had been looking for an instructor like AJ for years and the first time we worked together was mind blowing! Every thing that once was told it could be fixed or that it was my fault was explained, solved and for the first time I had fun with the dry suit. His knowledge, attention and care for his students is beyond expectations. In 3 weekends diving with Pinnacle, I learned and improved more than years of Padi trainings and certifications… The Altitude Diving training was a long time wish coming true and the icing of the cake as, besides the academic, I had to rely on the skills that used to be my weakest ones: dry suit, trim and buoyancy. Pinnacle Diving is highly recommended for the ones to become safe and responsible divers. Being so, we enjoy our dives more!
Kathryn - Google Review
PDC got me my NAUI open water certification and took my on the most amazing dive trip to Boracay, Philippines! AJ is a very knowledgeable and patient instructor who makes diving both safe and fun. For divers visiting or in Japan, this is the best company to reach out to!
Abraham - Facebook Review
AJ is an awesome instructor. Very patient, knowledgeable and knows diving inside and out. 10/10 recommend this company to any level diver or future divers.
Wesley - Facebook Review
AJ is a super knowledgeable, patient, and thorough teacher. His depth of experience is so deep and broad he could answer any question I asked. I just completed my sidemount certification course after having done my dry suit course last year. He's fun to dive with and very encouraging. I have learned a lot more about diving in these two NAUI courses than all my PADI courses combined.
Matt - Google Review
I completed my open water scuba diving certification with Pinnacle Diving Company, and it was an incredible experience, largely thanks to our instructor, AJ. The small class sizes really allowed for personalized instruction, and AJ's dedication to each of his students shone through every session. The training environment was tough, which might sound daunting, but it's designed that way to ensure that once you're in clearer, easier waters, diving feels like a breeze. AJ's professionalism and extensive skills not only made us better divers but also instilled a strong sense of confidence and safety in all of us. If you're looking to learn diving from the best in Japan, AJ at Pinnacle Diving is your go-to!
Joey - Facebook Review
I recently received my Open Water Dive Certification through AJ and Pinnacle Diving. During my training course, everything from how to breath with a snorkel, to dive tables to underwater recovery was throughly planned and strategically executed. Before this course I had no experience in diving, by the end I was confident in my abilities to properly and safely dive on my own. AJ ensured that you were comfortable and competent in every evolution before moving on. It is clear why Pinnacle Diving is the best place to get training in Japan. I highly recommend to anyone that is interested in evolving as a diver does so through AJ and Pinnacle Diving Company.
Justin - Google Review
Pinnacle Diving Company came to the rescue! I had completed a Dry Suit course with another agency and was “signed off” when clearly I was not comfortable, confident or to be honest, competent. AJ’s mentorship gave me confidence and knowledge on how to dive with a dry suit. He listened to my concerns, explained with outstanding detail in simple terms the details of what was going well and where I could improve in my diving. He’s very professional, fun, helpful and real….…I’m re-inspired to dive in Japan again.
Skills Development Workshops
Our Skills Development Workshops will improve your confidence and safety as a diver!
It is NOT "certifications" that make amazing divers, but rather time spent in the water practicing skills with expert mentorship and guidance that makes amazing divers!
To this end, Pinnacle Diving Company offers comprehensive workshops designed to improve and develop your skills and confidence as a diver.
Both single day and multi-day workshops are available in both backmount and sidemount configurations, covering everything from mastering buoyancy, effective dive planning and team diving, navigation, deep diving, equipment use, emergency procedures, mastering drysuit use, and more.
What's "Right" For YOU.
Each workshop is designed around specific skillsets, and intentionally narrow in scope, to provide participants with critical focus on developing only those functional areas in both theory and practical application. We make our workshops to fit your needs and your desire for growth. They are not cookie-cutter, but tailored just for you.
There Is ALWAYS Room For Improvement
Basic Skills Workshop
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Mastery of basic dive skills is essential for all divers at every level. This workshop is designed to focus on developing a diver's core basic diving skills.
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Ever see a good diver resting, motionless in the blue, not moving but hovering, and then move effortlessly in the water, and think to yourself, "How can I do THAT?" Well, that is exactly what this workshop is all about.
Deep Diving Workshop
Buoyancy and Trim Workshop
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Diving deep safely requires an advanced understanding of physics and physiology, gas management techniques, careful planning, a conservative mentality, and the ability to stick to a plan. Depth can be dangerous for the daring, overconfident, and undertrained, and this workshop will provide those tools from a Technical Diving perspective.
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Unless you took your Advanced Open Water course from Pinnacle Diving Company, the vast majority of divers out there complete a "square" and/or a "triangle" pattern in their AOWSD course, and get their "navigation" block checked off the list... Yet completing a square or triangle pattern underwater does NOT actually teach anyone how to truly "navigate". PDC takes a completely different approach, and our AOWSD students must complete an underwater "Star Course".
Drysuit Workshop
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Sidemount Workshop
Our Drysuit Workshop is dedicated to the mentorship of drysuit skills development, to include trim attitude, neutral buoyancy, equipment manipulation, and propulsion techniques, allowing participants time in the water to perfect suit use and management.
Sidemount Workshop
Underwater Navigation Workshop
Sidemount Workshop
The Sidemount Workshop will bring it back to basics with harness adjustments, gear configurations, equipment manipulation in the water, and proper action sequencing and timing, before moving on to perfecting buoyancy, breathing, trim, and finning, and finally developing a deeper understanding of CG, Weight and Moment, emergency procedures, and human factors that affect us all while diving.
Search and Recovery Workshop
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
Search and Recovery Workshop
This workshop is designed to reintroduce certified divers to Search and Recovery procedures, and covers planning considerations, navigation, limited visibility conditions, search methodologies and patterns, problem solving and computations, rigging, and light salvage and recovery of items underwater as practical skills.
Altitude Workshop
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
Search and Recovery Workshop
This workshop is designed to recap the required knowledge for altitude diving, and improve the skills of trained altitude divers, while conducting dives at altitudes at or above 300m (1,000ft) above sea level (ASL).
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
In this workshop, participants will learn a technical approach to dive planning, be introduced to the SORD-TGS/RECS planning model, participate in AAR's, and learn team diving and communication aspects to dive operations.
Emergency Procedures Workshop
Emergency Procedures Workshop
Effective Dive Planning and Team Diving Workshop
Emergency procedures vary depending on level of training, and this workshop is intended to focus on procedure identification and correct response by use of detailed discussion, surface practice, and in-water reaction drills, based on the participants certification level.
Our Mission
PDC strives to provide all divers with the highest level of professionalism, and expert instruction, mentorship, and guidance, developing the knowledge, skills, and abilities of all divers to the highest standards, so they can explore the underwater world with confidence and safety.
Strengthening Our Community
Additionally, we offer exhilarating and unforgettable local and international dive trips for scuba diving explorers, which strengthens our community by fostering camaraderie, building experiences, and engaging divers to grow and explore.
Expeditionary Services
And finally, we offer our capabilities around the world, bringing expeditionary services to clients outside our local area, so they may benefit from world-class instruction, mentorship, and guidance too.
World Class Equipment
From BC’s to regulators, wetsuits to custom-made drysuits, masks, fins, reels, lights, computers, accessories, individual parts and components, and specialty equipment, we can supply diving gear and equipment to meet all your diving needs.
So Join Us!
From beginning your own underwater adventures by getting certified or advancing your diver education, from custom drysuits, equipment sales, and services, to supplying heavy compressors, hydraulic tools, and surface-supplied systems, from UW videography to providing our capabilities anywhere around the world, Pinnacle Diving Company is ready to help you succeed and meet your underwater needs.