The Toa company was founded in 1909 in Minamisenji Japan. The company made diving equipment and in 1924 a limited company was created by Kintaro Sano.

By this time all types of diving equipment was being made and in 1944 the Company name was changed to Toa Diving equipment Co Ltd. After a few months the Imperial Navy took over the running of the factory and with its limited workforce of 50 men and women it gradually worked its way up to being the number one diving and equipment manufacturer in Japan . They also specialized in the training of divers. They manufactured 12 bolt helmets with a round breastplate and also the square pearler type breastplate. The Company is still in business to day.
 

Diver in action in a 12 bolt TOA helmet. 
These helmets are still used in the sponge and pearl diving industry.
An early Toa 12 bolt helmet, pre 1940s
notice the teardrop spitcock.		 The badge reads Tokyo Minamisenji (a town in Tokyo) on
the top line. Toa on the middle line and Diving Equipment Company (no ltd) on the bottom line. The helmet was
bought in Tokyo in an Antique shop.		 On careful examination we can see the crown top resembling a gear tooth. This signifies the helmet
was hand beaten and not spun, indicating a
very early helmet.
 
 
  The helmet has been lightly cleaned to reveal a better view if the crown of the helmet showing clearly the helmet was handmade and not spun, signifying the earlier type of construction.  


Photo courtesy of RJ Timmerman.
 


Experimental TOA

Notice the small breastplate and the relative large bonnet and the huge faceplate. This helmet was especially designed for women pearl divers!  The hat also features Yokohama / Kirby look alike safety pin and a spitcock. The helmet is tinnend to avoid corrosion caused by sea water. 8 bolt style! Less than 30 were ever produced. Photo courtesy of Leon Lyons.

Another nice 12 bolt air helmet.
 

A great TOA 12 bolt helmet. Notice the safety pin has moved to the front of the helmet.
This helmet has communication facilities.
Photo courtesy of Michel Gracia
 


An early 12 bolt Toa helmet
 

Side view showing the teardrop shaped spitcock handle.

Photos courtesy of Ed Fogderud.
 
Rear view showing the breastplate mounted communications connection.
It is the same type as the in the helmet above.
 

A late style Toa helmet. The brales and wingnuts are missing. 
Notice the large faceplate. A great helmet for sponge diving!

Toa Pearler style helmets


Pearler helmets were (and still are!) used in the Asian sponge and pearl diving industry.
The square shaped breastplate made it easier for the diver to bend forward and pick things up from the sea floor.

Polish it and it will look like this.....

A beautiful tinned 12-bolt 3 light square corselet TOA pearl divers helmet from around 1930. Tin was used to stop corrosion in seawater. On the nametag it says: TOA Sensuiki CO. Ltd. TSK, Minamisenji, Tokyo, Japan. There is no telephone facility in this helmet. This helmet is refurbished and retinned.


Another nice Toa with some tinning still intact. Notice the Heinke like air inlet elbow. There are no comms in this helmet. The safetypin is a bolt that screws in from the breastplate and keeps the bonnet in place. Again, this idea is copied from Heinke. Nametag reads: TOA DIVING APPARATUS CO., LTD TOKYO JAPAN
Different nametag style. This one reads: TOA DIVING APPARATUS CO., LTD MINAMISENJI TOKYO JAPAN


 

The Japanese not only used complete dresses but also short jackets in shallow, warm water. 
This type of diving dates back to the Deane brothers, over 150 years ago!