Japan's female free divers are dwindling
The ama, Japan's famed female free divers, harvest seafood without scuba gear or air tanks. But the number of divers is decreasing, with few young women choosing this traditional profession.
Age-old tradition
The "ama," sea-diving fisherpeople, dive to the seafloor without scuba gear or air tanks, in a tradition that goes back centuries. At the age of 77, Sanae Kiso, a diver in Minamiboso, still regularly searches for fresh seafood. But Japan is home to the world's oldest population, and the number of ama is falling rapidly.
Praying for bounty
At a local sea festival in Minamiboso, eastern Japan, divers dressed in white pray for a bountiful catch. Many of the women are volunteers from the region; since 2006, the number of ama in Minamiboso has shrunk by almost 70%. "We have managed to keep the festival going by asking people in this area and beyond for cooperation," said Shoichi Iida, who has helped organize the festival for years.
Young female divers in short supply
Sanae Kiso is one of a total of 40 divers in Minamiboso. In 2023, their age averaged 72, compared with 68 in 2006. With many other professions open to young women in Japan, they rarely choose the strenuous profession of diving.
Into the depths
Since the 1960s, the divers have generally worn orange wet suits for their own safety; originally, the ama only wore a loincloth and a headscarf. The women descend to depths of up to 20 meters (about 65 feet) without oxygen tanks; an experienced ama can repeat the process up to 60 times an hour.
Precious delicacies
Sanae Kiso shows off her catch. The meat of the abalone (sea ears) is a coveted delicacy in Japan. The women usually dive for sea snails, sea urchins, mussels, algae and pearls.
Not a job for 'instant money'
Japanese women used to be able to earn a good living harvesting these delicacies. However, it takes time — and experience. "This is not the kind of job on which you can make instant money," said Yoshino Hirano, who has worked as an ama in Minamiboso for 16 years.
Few divers left
At 51, Ayumi Inoue is one of the youngest divers in Minamiboso. She decided to train as a diver three years ago. "I grew up seeing older women working as ama, and found the smiles on their suntanned faces very attractive and cool,” she told the Reuters news agency. "Seeing the number of ama divers dwindling, to be honest, makes me sad."