Japan's dying tradition of women who freedive in the sea for a living
 

Japan's dying tradition of women who freedive in the sea for a living
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It may **t be long before we cease to see Japan's traditional female free divers, k**wn as Ama, in the flesh.

In Toba city, Ama forage for seafood like abalone, sea urchin and lobster, but their numbers are threatened by an aging population and climate change.

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Located on the **rtheast Coast of the Shima Peninsula, the Toba region boasts the largest number of Amas in Japan at around 600 divers, with the oldest reaching 82-years-old.*

According to the Director of the Toba Sea-Folk Museum, Yoshikata Ishihara, the term Ama, which translates to "sea woman", first appeared in the 18th century through evidence found in folklore and paintings.* Read more...


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