Mikimoto Pearl Island, 1-7-1 Toba City, is where you can also see diving demonstrations by ama divers. Adults $18, children $9; mikimoto-pearl-island.jp/en More information Travel Japan japan ...

But unlike South Korea’s haenyeo divers on Jeju Island, who were inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2016, Japan’s ama have yet to receive international recognition. The ...

The Ama divers of Japan, primarily in Toba and Shima, preserve an ancient tradition of free diving for shellfish and pearls, dating back 3000 years. Around 2,000 divers remain, sustaining their ...

Of the ancient tradition of pearl diving dating back to the great port city of Korkai, the capital of early Pandya kings some 2,200 years ago, hardly 10 brave men survive. “There are only seven ...

The ancient tradition of women free diving for shellfish can still be seen in Japan’s unspoilt Shima Peninsula. The ancient Japanese tradition that’s unknown to most tourists.