Terms of Service

Article 1 (Scope)

These Terms apply to all matters between you and the shop relating to the Services. The "Policy & Cancellation Guide," the "Privacy Policy" and the "Before You Join" page published on our website or at the shop form part of these Terms. Where they differ, the specific provision prevails.

Article 2 (How a Reservation Is Confirmed)

• Submitting the reservation form is a request from you to the shop. Your reservation is confirmed when we contact you by email, phone or LINE to confirm it.
• We may be unable to accept a request because of sea conditions, availability, staffing, or your experience or health. We will try to explain the reason, but may not always be able to.
• If you book through an external booking site such as Jalan, that site's terms also apply.
• Guests under 18 need the consent of a parent or guardian. Please check the minimum age for each course on the pricing and course pages.
• Please let us know as early as possible about changes to your booking or additional participants.

Article 3 (Fees and Payment)

• Fees are as shown on our website pricing page or as quoted at the shop. Unless stated otherwise, prices include tax.
• Payment is made at the shop on the day, or by a method we specify (such as bank transfer).
• Fees may change without notice. Reservations confirmed before a change keep the fee that applied at the time of confirmation.
• If we arrange accommodation, transport or meals for you, those costs are billed separately.

Article 4 (Changes and Cancellations)

Changes and cancellations for your own reasons are subject to the cancellation fees in our Policy & Cancellation Guide. Notice received after 7:00 PM on the day before is treated as a same-day cancellation. If we booked accommodation on your behalf, the accommodation's cancellation rules apply. Cancellation fees are payable within 10 days at the shop or by bank transfer.

Article 5 (Conditions of Participation and Safety)

• Diving is affected by your health. Please report your health accurately when booking and on the day. Trial diving guests are asked to review the PADI Medical Statement in advance.
• If any item on the Medical Statement applies to you, a doctor's clearance may be required. We may decline participation if no clearance is available or if we judge that safety cannot be ensured.
• Guests who have consumed alcohol, who are unwell, or who are pregnant cannot take part.
• After diving you must leave enough time before flying or travelling to altitude. If you have a flight or a mountain road journey afterwards, please tell our staff in advance.
• Please follow the instructions of our instructors and staff at all times. If instructions are not followed, we may stop the dive for safety reasons. No refund is given in that case.
• For fun diving, please bring your certification card and logbook. Depending on your number of dives or time since your last dive, we may ask you to take a refresher course or adjust the plan.
• We cannot accept responsibility for accidents or losses caused by inaccurate or incomplete health information.

Article 6 (Cancellation or Changes due to Weather and Sea Conditions)

• We may cancel a dive or change the date, dive site or program at our discretion because of weather, sea conditions, natural disasters or transport suspensions. Safety comes first.
• If we cancel, no cancellation fee applies. Fees already paid are moved to another date or refunded.
• We cannot compensate transport, accommodation or other costs arising from such cancellations or changes.
• Marine life and visibility depend on natural conditions. Photos and videos on our website and social media are not a promise of the same scenery.

Article 7 (Handling of Your Information)

So that you can dive safely and keep enjoying the sea of Sado for years to come, we keep and use your information as follows. See our Privacy Policy for details.

• Information we hold: your name, contact details, date of birth, gender, address, health information, diving experience and certifications given on the reservation form or at the shop; records of your dives (dive site, depth and time, equipment used and sizes, rental or personal gear, your impressions, requests and preferences mentioned in conversation); photos and videos taken by our staff; and our communication history with you.
• Purposes: confirming and communicating about reservations; safety management (including health checks and emergency response); providing dives, courses and tours; suggesting equipment, courses, tours and events suited to you; thank-you messages; greetings for occasions such as your birthday or the anniversary of your first dive; news about new services, products and events; improving and managing the quality of our services (including sharing information among staff and reviewing our work); and statistical analysis.
• Records and storage: we keep this information as a per-guest record (guest file), including after your visit, and may share it among staff as needed. Storage uses external cloud services such as Google (our service providers). We take reasonable safeguards such as restricting access.
• Stopping messages: if you do not wish to receive our messages by email or otherwise, contact us at the address at the end of these Terms and we will stop promptly.
• Access, correction and deletion: on request and after identity verification, we will disclose, correct or delete your information. Information we must keep by law, or records needed for safety management, may not be deleted.
• Third parties: we do not provide your information to third parties except with your consent, when required by law, or when necessary to protect life, body or property (for example, giving information to a medical institution in an emergency).

Article 8 (Photos and Videos)

• Our staff may take photos and videos during and around dives. We use them to share with you, for example through a photo link.
• Photos and videos in which you cannot be identified, or for which you have given individual consent, may be used on our website, blog, social media and printed materials. If you do not want photos of yourself published, tell the staff on the day or contact us at the address below. For material already published, we will respond promptly where possible.
• If you post your own photos or videos on social media with our name or tag, we may feature (repost) them.
• Please do not publish photos or videos of other guests without their consent.

Article 9 (Equipment Rental, Storage and Sales)

• Please handle rental equipment with care. Damage or loss caused intentionally or by negligence will be charged at the repair cost or actual cost.
• Conditions, fees and periods for equipment storage are set out in our Policy & Guide. If we do not hear from you within one month after the storage period ends, we return the equipment cash on delivery.
• Equipment sold at the shop is covered by the manufacturer's warranty. Size changes or returns after purchase are accepted only for unused items and only when approved by the shop.
• If you bring your own equipment, you are responsible for having it inspected and serviced beforehand. We cannot accept responsibility for problems caused by faults in your own equipment.

Article 10 (Prohibited Conduct)

Please refrain from the following. If we judge that any of these applies, we may refuse or stop your participation without refund.

• Not following staff instructions or safety rules
• Causing nuisance or harm to other guests, staff or local residents
• Harming marine life or the environment (touching or taking creatures, littering, and the like)
• Giving false information about your health or experience
• Publishing photos or videos of other guests without permission
• Interfering with our operations, or any conduct against the law or public order

Article 11 (Disclaimer)

• Diving takes place in nature and carries inherent risks. We do our utmost to ensure safety, but except in cases of our intent or gross negligence, we are not liable for loss or damage you suffer in connection with the Services.
• The same applies to loss or damage caused by weather, sea conditions or natural disasters, transport delays or cancellations, your own health, actions contrary to staff instructions, or disputes between guests.
• We cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or flooding of your belongings (cameras, phones, valuables and so on). Please look after valuables yourself.
• Where we are liable and there is no intent or gross negligence on our part, our liability is limited, to the extent permitted by law, to the fee for the Service concerned.
• We recommend taking out diving insurance or travel insurance.

Article 12 (Your Responsibility)

If you cause loss or damage to the shop, its staff, other guests or any third party intentionally or by negligence, you are responsible for compensating that loss or damage.

Article 13 (Use of the Website)

• We try to keep the information on our website accurate, but do not guarantee that it is complete or up to date. Fees, programs and schedules may change without notice.
• Text, photos, videos and logos on the website belong to the shop or their rightful owners. They may not be copied, reproduced or distributed without permission.
• We are not responsible for the content of external sites linked from our website.
• We use analytics tools to understand how the website is used. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Article 14 (Changes to These Terms)

We may change these Terms as needed. The revised Terms take effect when published on our website. We will announce important changes on the website.

Article 15 (Governing Law and Jurisdiction)

These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan. Any dispute between you and the shop relating to the Services will first be discussed in good faith. If it cannot be resolved, the Niigata District Court has exclusive jurisdiction as the court of first instance.

Contact

For questions about these Terms or the handling of your information, please contact us at:

• Business name: Freeway Co., Ltd. (Diving Service Freeway)
• Sado Shop: 0259-52-5781　Email: sado@divingfreeway.com
• Niigata Shop: 025-250-0181

Established: October 25, 2026. The Japanese version prevails if there is any difference between the Japanese and English texts.