Practical
Diving Vocabulary
[ ENGLISH <> JAPANESE ]
USEFUL VOCABULARY
FOR A DIVING TRIP
Equipment
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Equipment – Kizai [器材]
- Setup equipment – Kizai settingu [器材セッティング]
- BCD – Bee Shee Dee
- Weight – Wayto [ウエイト]
- Belt, weight belt – Beluto [ベルト]
- Weight pocket – Wayto poketto [ウエイトポケット]
- Kilo – Kiro [キロ]
- Pound – Paundo [パウンド]
- Mask – masuku [マスク]
- Snorkel – sunōkeru or shunōkeru [スノーケル]
- Fins – Fīn [フィン] do not pronounce the S, fins are always singular in Japanese…
- Booties – Būtsu [ブーツ]
- Socks – Kutsushita [靴下]
- Wetsuit – Wetto sūtsu [ウェットスーツ]
- Drysuit – Dorai sūtsu [ドライスーツ]
- Hood – Fūdo [フード]
- Gloves – Daibingu grōbu [ダイビンググローブ]
- Mask-strap – Masuku sutorappu [マスクストラップ]
- Tank – Tanku [タンク]
- Regulator – Regyulaytā [レギュレーター]
- Octopus – Okutopasu [オクトパス]
- First stage – Fāsto sutayji [ファーストステージ]
- Second stage – Sekando sutayji [セカンドステージ]
- DIN adaptor – Deen adaputā [ディンアダプター]
- Depth gauge – Suishin kay [水深計]
- Hose – Hōsu [ホース]
- Surface Marker Buoy / DSMB / Safety sausage – (Shigunaru) Fulōto [(シグナル) フロート]
- Knife – Naifu [ナイフ]
- Camera – Kamera [カメラ]
- Dive computer – Daikon [ダイコン（ダイブコンピューター） ]
- Cable tie – Kayburu tai [ケーブルタイ]
- Mouthpiece – Mausu peesu [マウスピース]
- Pliers – Pentchi [ペンチ]
- Spanner / wrench – Ajasutaburu rentchi [アジャスタブルレンチ]
- Allen key – Rokkaku rentchi [六角レンチ]
- To screw /close / fasten – Shimeru [閉める]
- Air leak – E-ah more [エア漏れ]
- Battery – batterī [バッテリー]
- Change the battery – batterī kōkan [バッテリー交換]
- Where can I setup my equipment ? – Kizai wa dokode settingu sureba ii desu ka ? [器材はどこでセッティングすればいいですか？]
- I will setup my equipment myself – Kizai wa, jibun de settingu shimasu [器材は、自分でセッティングします]
- I will do this / I’ll do this myself – Kore wa jibun de yarimasu [これは自分でやります]
- Where can I wash/rinse my equipment – Kizai arai-ba wa doko desu ka? [器材洗い場はどこですか？]
- Where can I dry my equipment – Kizai wa doko de kawakase-masu ka? [器材はどこで乾かせますか？]
Briefing and the dive
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Diver – Daibā [ダイバー]
- Diving – Daibingu [ダイビング]
- Dive guide, divemaster – Gaido (gaido-san) [ガイド ]
- Dive briefing – Bureefingu [ブリーフィング]
- Max dive time – Saidai sensui jikan [最大潜水時間]
- Max depth – Saidai shindo [最大深度]
- Buddy – Badī [バディー] / badi [バディ]
- Metre – Mētoru [メートル]
- Remaining tank pressure – Zan-atsu [残圧]
- 200 bar – Ni-hyaku bāru [２００バール]
- 100 bar – Hyaku bāru [１００バール]
- 50 bar – Go-jū bāru [５０バール]
- Decompression stop – Gen-atsu teyshi [減圧停止]
- Safety stop – Anzen teyshi [安全停止]
- To descend – Senkō [潜降]
- To ascend – Fujō [浮上]
- Giant Stride Entry – Jaianto sutoraido entree [ジャイアント・ストライド・エントリー]
- Backroll – Bakku rōru entree [バックロールエントリー]
- Descent line – Senkō rōpu [潜降ロープ]
- Current line, rope – Rōpu [ロープ]
- Ladder – Radā [ラダー]
- Descend with a line – Rayin senkō [ライン潜降]
- Free descent – Furee senkō [フリー潜降]
- Fast descent / negative entry – Hayame no senkō / negatibu entoree [早めの潜降/ ネガティブエントリー]
- Drift dive – Dorifuto daibu [ドリフトダイブ]
- Current –Nagare [流れ]
- Buoyancy – Furyoku [浮力]
- Visibility, viz – Tōshido [透視度]
- To see – Miru [見る]
- To touch – Sawaru [触る]
- Equalise / clear ears – Mimi nuki [耳抜き]
- I can’t equalise – Mimi nuki ga dekinai [耳抜きができない]
- I use a lot of air – E-ah no shōhi ga hayai desu [エアの消費が早いです]
- My dives are usually XYZ minutes long – Sensui jikan wa daitai XYZ fun desu [潜水時間は大体。。。分です]
- I’m worried about XYZ – XYZ ga shinpai desu [。。。が心配です]
- I was cold – Samukatta desu [寒かったです]
- Out of breath – Iki gire [息切れ]
- Slowly – Yukkuri [ゆっくり]
- Could you go slower – Mō sukoshi yukkuri itte moraemasu ka ? [もう少しゆっくり行ってもらえますか？]
- Fast – Hayai [速い]
- Too fast – Hayasugiru [速すぎる]
- Who will be my dive guide ? – Watashi no gaido wa dare desu ka? [私のガイドは誰ですか？]
- Who am I buddying with ? – Watashi no badī wa dare desu ka? [私のバディーは誰ですか？]
- What should I do if I am lost ? – Rosuto no toki dō sureba ii desu ka? [ロストの時どうすればいいですか？]
- Can I stay close to the guide/ you – Gaido san no soba ni ite ii desu ka? [ガイドさんのそばにいていいですか？]
- What is the maximum depth – Saidai shindo wa nan mētoru desu ka ? [最大深度はなんメートルですか]
- I like XYZ – XYZ ga suki desu [。。。が好きです]
- I like to see XYZ – XYZ ga mitai desu [。。。がみたいです]
- What is the water temperature – Suion wa dore gurai desu ka? [水温はどれぐらいですか？]
- How is the current – Nagare wa dō desu ka? [流れはどうですか？]
- Current is strong/weak – Nagare wa tsuyoi/yowai desu [流れは強い・弱いです]
Problems
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- I can’t equalise – Mimi nuki ga dekinai [耳抜きができない]
- I forgot XYZ – XYZ wo wasure mashita [。。。を忘れました]
- I lost XYZ – XYZ wo nakushi mashita [。。。をなくました]
- I’m looking for XYZ – XYZ wo sagashite imasu [。。。を探しています]
- I need XYZ – XYZ ga irimasu [。。。がいります]
- Can you lend me XYZ ? – XYZ wo kashite moraemasu ka [。。。を貸してもらえますか？]
- Do you have XYZ – XYZ wo motte imasu ka ? [。。。を持っていますか？]
- It’s broken – Koware mashita [ 壊れました]
- It’s dangerous – Kiken desu [危険です]
- Problem – Mondai [問題]
- Be careful – Ki wo tsukete kudasai [気をつけてください]
- (The air has) a strange smell – (E-ah kara) hen na ni-oi ga shimasu [変な匂いがします]
- I was cold – Samukatta desu [寒かったです]
- I was out of breath – Iki gire ni narimashita [息切れになりました]
- I forgot XYZ – XYZ wo wasure mashita [。。。を忘れました]
- I lost XYZ – XYZ wo nakushi mashita [。。。をなくました]
- I’m looking for XYZ – XYZ wo sagashite imasu [。。。を探しています]
- I need XYZ – XYZ ga irimasu [。。。がいります]
- Can you lend me XYZ ? – XYZ wo kashite moraemasu ka [。。。を貸してもらえますか？]
- Do you have XYZ – XYZ wo motte imasu ka ? [。。。を持っていますか？]
- Air is leaking – E-ah ga morete imasu [エアが漏れています]
Marine environment
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Current – Nagare [流れ]
- Rising tide – Mitchi shio [満ち潮]
- Falling tide – Hiki shio [引き潮]
- Slack tide – Shio-domari [潮止まり]
- Wind – Kaze [風]
- Rain – Ame [雨]
- Waves – Nami [波]
- Swell – Uneri [うねり]
- Island – Shoma [島]
- Rock – Iwa [岩]
- Sand – Suna [砂]
- Coral – Sango [サンゴ]
- Coral reef – Sango-shō [サンゴ礁]
- Fish – Sakana [魚]
- What fish can we see – donna sakana ga miraremasu ka [どんな魚が見られますか？]
- Endemic species – Koyūshu [固有種]
- Juvenile – Yōgyo [幼魚]
Basic Fish ID
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Fish – Sakana [魚]
- What fish can we see – donna sakana ga miraremasu ka [どんな魚が見られますか？]
- Endemic species – Koyūshu [固有種]
- Juvenile – Yōgyo [幼魚]
- Anemonefish (“Nemo”) – Kumanomi [クマノミ]
- Butterflyfish – Chōchō uo [チョウチョウウオ]
- Damselfish – Susumedai [ススメダイ]
- Angelfish – Kinchakudai [キンチャクダイ]
- Wrasse – Bera [ベラ]
- Sweetlips – Koshōdai [コショウダイ]
- Snapper – Fuedai [フエダイ]
- Surgeonfish – Hagi [ハギ]
- Triggerfish – Mongara kawahagi [モンガラカワハギ]
- Batfish – Tsubameuo [ツバメウオ]
- Grouper – Hata [ハタ]
- Tuna – Maguro [マグロ]
- Silvery / jacks – Aji [アジ]
- Shark – Same [サメ]
- Ray – Ei [エイ]
- Reef manta ray – Nanyō-manta [ナンヨウマンタ]
- Lionfish/scorpionfish – Kasago [カサゴ]
- Blenny – Ginpo / Burenee [ギンポ ブレニー]
- Goby – Haze / Gobee [ハゼ ゴビー ]
- Frogfish – Kaeru-ankō [カエルアンコウ]
- Nudibranch – Umi-ushi [ウミウシ]
- Turtle – Umigame [ウミガメ]
- Sea-snake – Umi-hebi [ウミヘビ]
- Octopus – Tako [タコ]
- Squid / cuttlefish – Ika [イカ]
- Eels – Utsubo [ウツボ]
- Crab – Kani [カニ]
- Shrimp – Ebi [エビ]
- Seahorse – Tatsuno otoshigo [タツノオトシゴ]
- Coral – Sango [サンゴ]
On the boat
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Boat – Fune [船]
- Seat – Seki [席]
- Bow / front – (Fune no) Mae [前]
- Stern / back – (Fune no) Ushiro [後ろ]
- Propeller – Puropera [プロペラ]
- Engine – Enjin [エンジン]
- Breakdown – Koshō [故障]
- Toilets – Toyre [トイレ]
- Toilet paper – Toyretto peypā [トイレットペーパー]
- Flush – Toyre wo nagasu [トイレを流す]
- Shower – Shawā [シャワー]
- Captain – Kyaputen [キャプテン]
- Ladder – Radā [ラダー]
- Compressor – Konpuressā [コンプレッサー]
- To get changed (clothing) – Kigaeru [着替える]
- Changing room – Kōi shotsu [更衣室]
- Fresh water – Tansui / mamizu [淡水・真水]
- Bucket / tank – Baketsu – [バケツ]
- Where is my seat? – Watashi no seki wa doko desu ka? [私の席はどこですか？]
- Where can I change – Kō–i shitsu wa doko desu ka? [ 更衣室はどこですか？]
- Where are the toilets? – Toy-re wa doko desu ka? [トイレはどこですか？]
- Where is the shower? – Shawā wa doko desu ka? [シャワーはどこですか？]
At the dive centre
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Who works here? – omise no kata wa imasu ka? [お店の方はいますか？]
- I am XYZ – XYZ desu [。。。です]
- I have a a booking – Yoyaku shimashita [予約しました]
- Do I need to take off my shoes? – Dosoku de ii desu ka? [土足でいいですか？]
- Where can I leave my bags / luggage ? – Nimotsu okiba wa arimasu ka? [荷物置き場はありますか？]
- Where can I leave my equipment – Kizai wa dokoni okeba ii desu ka? [器材はどこに置けばいいですか？]
- Can you take care of my valuables? – Kitchō -hin wa azukerare-masu ka? [貴重品は預けられますか？]
- Where can I change? – Kō–i shitsu wa doko desu ka? [ 更衣室はどこですか？]
- Where are the toilets? – Toy-re wa doko desu ka? [トイレはどこですか？]
- Where is the shower? – Shawā wa doko desu ka? [シャワーはどこですか？]
- Logbook session – loguzuke [ログづけ]
- After-dive/ leaving party – uchi-age [打ち上]
- Can you sign my logbook? – Rogu bukku ni sain shite moraemasu ka? [ログブックにサインしてもらえますか？]
Health and feelings
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
- Toilets – Toyre [トイレ]
- Seasick – Funayoi [船酔い]
- To not feel good – Kibun ga warui [気分が悪い]
- It hurts – Itai [痛い]
- I’m cold – Samui [寒い]
- I’m hot – Atsui [暑い]
- I’m hungry – Onaka ga suki mashita [お腹が空きました]
- I’m thirsty – Nodo ga kawaki mashita [喉が乾きました]
- Water please – Mizu kudasai [水ください]
- Drinking water – Mizu [水]
- Hot water – Oyu [お湯]
- To eat – Taberu [食べる]
- To drink – Nomu [飲む]
- Sunscreen – Hiyake dome [飛躍どめ]
- Anti-seasickness pill – Yoy dome [酔い止め] – Aneron アネロン, non-drowsy motion sickness medicine, available without prescription in Japan
- Pain killer – Itami dome [痛み止め]
- Pain – Itami [痛み]
- It hurts – Itai [痛い]
- Itchy – Kayui [痒い]
- I was stung – Sasare mashita [刺されました]
- Cut – Kiri kizu [切り傷]
- Bleeding – Tchi ga demashita [血が出ました]
- Diarreah – Geri [下痢]
- Headache – Atama ga itai [頭がいたい]
- Sunburn – Hiyake [日焼け]
- Eye – Me – [目]
- Ear – Mimi [耳]
- To vomit – Haku [吐く]
- Allergy – Alerugee [アレルギー]
- Don’t feel anything – Nanimo kanji nai [何も感じない]
- Tingling / prickling – Piri piri suru / chiku chiku suru [ピリピリする/チクチクする
- It burns – hiri hiri suru [ヒリヒリ]
- Out of breath – Iki gire [息切れ]
- Cough – Seki [咳]
- To rest – Yasumu [休む]
- I will rest – Yasumi masu [休みます]
- To sleep – Neru [寝る]
- Decompression sickness – Gen-atsu-shō [減圧症]
- Call a doctor – Isha wo yonde kudasai [医者を呼んでください]
- Call DAN – DAN ni denwa shite kudasai [DANに電話してください]
- I want to see a doctor – o-Isha-san ni mite moraitai desu [お医者さんにみてもらいたいです]
- Insurance – Hoken [保険]
- I have insurance – Hoken ni haite imasu [保険にはいています]
- Phone number – Denwa bangō [電話番号]
- Lost / forgotten item – Wasure mono [忘れ物]
Basic Vocabulary
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels]
Yes – Hai [はい]
No – Īye [いいえ]
Good Morning – Ohayō gozaimasu [おはようございます]
Hello, hi, good afternoon – Kon-nichiwa [こんにちは]
Good evening – Konbanwa [こんばんは]
Good night – Oyasumi nasai [おやすみなさい]
Good-bye – Sayōnara [さようなら]
See you! (informal) – Mata ne! [またね！]
I am XYZ – Watashi wa XYZ desu [私は 。。。です]
Please call me XYZ – XYZ to yonde kudasai [。。。と呼んでください]
What is your name? – Onamae wa? [お名前は？]
What should I call you? – Nan to yobeba ii desuka? [ 何と呼べばいいですか？]
Nice to meet you – Hajime mashite [初めまして]
I am English , Australian, New-Zealander, South African, American, Canadian, German – Watashi wa igirisu / ōsutoralia / niū-jeelando / minami afurika / amerika / canada / doytsu – jin desu [私は（イギリ・オーストラリア・ニュージーランド・南アフリカ・アメリカス・カナダ・ドイツ）人です]
Thank you – Arigatō gozaimasu [ありがとうございます]
Excuse me / I am sorry – Sumimasen [すみません]
No thank you – Daijōbu desu [大丈夫です]
I don’t understand – Wakarimasen [わかりません]
I do not know – Shirimasen [知りません]
I understand / understood – Wakarimashita [わかりました]
Do you speak English – Eigo dekimasu ka? [英語できますか？]
Where is XYZ – XYZ wa doko desu ka [。。。はどこですか]
How much is XYZ – XYZ ikura desu ka [ いくらですか]
Delicious – Oyshī desu [美味しいです ]
Pleasing / I’m pleased/happy Ureshī desu [嬉しいです]
Where? – Doko [どこ]
Here – Koko [ここ]
When – Itsu [いつ]
Today – Kyō [今日]
Yesterday – Kinō [昨日]
Tomorrow – Ashita [明日]
Now – Ima [今]
Lunch – Hiru-gohan [昼ごはん]
Breakfast – Asa-gohan [朝ごはん]
Plate – Osara [お皿]
Fork – Fōku [フォーク]
Spoon – Supūn [スプーン]
Knife – Naifu [ナイフ]
Chopsticks – Ohashi [お箸]
Sandwichs – Sandowitchi [サンドイッチ]
Drinks – Nomimono [飲み物]
I’m hungry – Onaka ga suki mashita [お腹が空きました]
I’m thirsty – Nodo ga kawaki mashita [喉が乾きました]
Water please – Mizu kudasai [水ください]
Drinking water – Mizu [水]
Hot water – Oyu [お湯]
To eat – Taberu [食べる]
To drink – Nomu [飲む]
Bag / luggage – Kaban /nimotsu [かばん・荷物]
Valuables – Kichō -hin [貴重品]
To buy – Kau [買う]
To rent – Kariru [借りる]
Car – Kuruma [車]
Train – Densha [電車]
Bullet-train – Shinkansen [新幹線]
Hotel – Hoteru [ホテル]
Ryokan (= Japanese style, more “traditional hotel” ) [旅館]
Minshuku ( = family managed guesthouse and B&B guesthouses) [民宿]
Business hotel – Bijinesu hoteru [ビジネスホテル]
Hospital – Byōin [病院]
Toilets – Toyre [トイレ]
Numbers
[Note: Overlined vowels Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō are longer, extended vowels ]
- 1 ichi
- 2 ni
- 3 san
- 4 yon / shi
- 5 go
- 6 roku
- 7 nana / shitchi
- 8 hatchi
- 9 kyū
- 10 jū
- 11 jū -ichi
- 12 jū -ni
- 13 jū -san
- 14 jū -yon
- 15 jū -go
- 16 jū -roku
- 17 jū -nana
- 18 jū –hatchi
- 19 jū -kyū
- 20 ni-jū
Japanese uses two names for numbers, Japanese ones and those based on Chinese pronounciation, which are the most common, but the Japanese ones are often used for cultural and ease of pronounciation for numbers 4 and 7, which is why you can hear both.
Pronunciation and transcription
Note on the pronunciation of Japanese
[Long and short vowels]
There are 4 main vowels in Japanese, [a / i / u /e /0]
Overlined vowels (written with a macron sign):
Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē – Ō/ō
indicate that these are longer, extended vowels
[A] vowel
The [a] sound is pronounced somewhat like the English [a] in apple or party
[E] vowel
The vowel written as [e] is never pronounced like the English [ee] sound, but is actually close to /ɛ/ or the French [é] sound, or the final vowel of the Italian word latte for instance.
Karate for instance, is pronounced [karaté], never [karatee].
See this page for some examples
[I] vowel
The short [i] is pronounced like the i sound in the words hit, interesting, inner or pity
The long [ī] is pronounced like the English [ee] sound, as in the word tree
[U] vowel
This is a difficult sound, with no real English equivalent.
The short [u] is slightly similar to the u sound found in the words book or look
The long [Ū] is somewhat like the u sound at the end of the word new
The final short [u] is often hardly pronounced, and can be considered a silent vowel desu / masu = [dess] / [mass]
[R] consonant
The [R] sound in Japanese is very soft, and quite close to the [L] sound in English.
It actually sits somewhere in between [R] and [L]. Never roll your tongue or trill it.
Actually pronouncing the [R] as [L] will not be perfect, but closer to the Japanese sound than and English [R] sound
[Double consonants]
Double consonants are always pronounced, school, gakkō is pronounced GAK-KŌ
Transcription convention used
When transcribing Japanese words of names, the overlined vowels (with a macron sign):
Ā/ā – Ī/ ī – Ū/ū – Ē/ē and Ō/ō
indicate that these are longer, extended vowels as opposed the shorter ones.
This convention is not standardised in Japan and elsewhere, where you’ll encounter a great variety of transcriptions used, but this one is quite clear.
Please note that we always try to use a phonetically correct transcription, including for well-known place names that are often written untranscribed.
Indeed, pronouncing words or names correctly definitely helps with communication, some names being difficult to recognise when long vowels are not pronounced, especially to a Japanese ear.
Common names such as Oshima and Ōshima, are completely different for instance.
As an example, the country’s capital, usually written Tokyo, is actually pronounced with two long [ō] sounds and should be transliterated Tōkyō, whereas the name of the former Imperial capital, usually written Kyoto, is pronounced with a long [ō] followed by a short [o] sound, and should be transliterated Kyōto.
Cultural note
Japanese names and use of -san/-sama
Japanese names, as in other neighbouring languages (Korean and Mandarin Chinese for instance) are presented with the family name before the personal/given name.
As an example, in Japanese, the famous film director’s name is always KUROSAWA (family name) Akira (personal name).
For readability however, and since we are writing in English, when naming people in these pages, we use the non-Japanese convention, which is more common in the English language, i.e. the personal/given name followed by the family name, e.g. Akira KUROSAWA.
In a traditional Japanese setting, people are also primarily referred to by their family names, which comes first.
In Japanese, someone called Akira (personal name) KUROSAWA (family name) will introduce himself as KUROSAWA, or KUROSAWA Akira, and will normally always be referred to by others as Kurosawa-san, –san being a unisex suffix covering Mrs/Ms/Mr.
It will almost always be Kurosawa-san, outside a very close circle of friends, family etc, and also for hierarchical/ in-group/out-group reasons that we won’t go into here.
As an important note, -san is never used for one’s self, meaning no one would ever refer to themselves using the suffix –san.
In a formal setting, such as a customer service situation, -san will be replaced by the honorific –sama, which you might sometimes hear used in combination with your name in Japan (Kurosawa-sama, Johnson-sama) – this is just a more polite way of addressing someone.
So how should you address people in Japan?
Well, the most logical thing to do would be to address people à la japonaise, using the family name + -san.
This has become quite common in English as well, since –san can be formal, but also, depending on context, much less formal than Mrs, Ms or Mr…
However, since you are most likely non-Japanese, and more importantly most likely a non-Japanese speaker, this is not really expected of you.
And since Japanese people are well aware than most in most of the languages visitors speak, the personal name comes first, and most people will introduce themselves with the non-Japanese name order in English, “I am Akira KUROSAWA”, or simply with the their personal name “I’m Akira”.
Or even, because diving activities mostly take place in an rather informal, leisurely setting, people might even introduce themselves with their common nickname, and/or tell you what they want you to call them.
Mr Akira Kurosawa might like to be called “Aki”, “Kuro” or even something else like “Kuma” in the diving environment for instance…
If in doubt, go for the standard family name + san, or personal name+san, you can’t go wrong with that.
Or simply just ask the person what they would like to be called_and add –san (Akira-san, Kurosawa-san, Aki-san, Kuro-san, Kuma-san) for good measure/standard politeness.
Image sources: bondlingo.tv and ppjapanese
All this to say there is no set rule, both because you, as a non-Japanese-speaking foreigner, are naturally outside the traditional setting Japanese cultural interactions, and seen as coming from a culture / using a language where one’s “personal name” is more important, and also because diving activities usually take place in a slightly less formal, more relaxed context than others.
Also keep in mind that some people might actually be looking forward to using personal names with you, as a refreshing change from the set everyday interactions of the standard Japanese cultural setting they usually evolve in.
You might even hear more informal suffixes such as “– chan” or “-kun” being thrown around, but these are tricky as they are less neutral, so we recommend that you stay on the safe-side and stick to the neutral –san, unless direcly instructed to do otherwise.
That said, as a non-Japanese speaker, outside a formal setting, it would be hard to offend someone by using an “improper” address form, and you might actually get a few laughs!
In one Japanese dive-centre we worked for outside Japan, which catered to both Japanese and non-Japanese guests, everyone used personal names, including the Japanese staff for themselves, which is slightly exotic, but makes perfect sense in a mixed-language setting.
Japanese guests would use their guide’s personal names, but not the reverse – guides would address Japanese guests in the standard Japanese fashion, using their family names…
You’ll most likely be called by your first name, say simply Robert, or a semi-automatic Robert-san.
Just remember not to use the suffix –san for yourself, as this is just plain weird!