In celebration of International Women's Day 2019, I wanted to shine a spotlight on the ama, a title that has been ascribed to the famous female pearl divers of Japan.

Nearly a minute has passed yet the sea in front of us remains still, save for a ring-shaped life preserver bobbing upon its surface. Inside it is a mesh net, known as a sukari, filled with red, yellow ...

SHIMA/TOBA, MIE – Growing up by the sea, Mr Yushi Ikeda and Mr Toyofumi Hamagiwa followed in the footsteps of their mothers to become ama free divers. “My mother was an ama, and she asked if I was ...