The Ama of Ise-Shima 【自然と人】山を楽しむ：谷川岳ロープウェイ、山岳資料館、登山指導センター、利根川、温泉等

Official explanation

Ama are female free divers who harvest a wide variety of sea life from the ocean without the use of breathing apparatus. The tradition exists only in Japan and South Korea, where the word for the divers (haenyeo in Korean) means “sea women.” Some scholars have estimated that ama have existed for almost 2,000 years, although their appearance in historical records only dates back to the eighth century. There are other coastal areas in Japan where ama divers are active, but the largest concentration can be found in Ise-Shima National Park.

Divers are taught by elder ama from a young age—sometimes as early as 12—to master diving and breathing techniques, and to recognize different types of marine life. Most of their dives last about a minute, which is spent on a constant hunt for abalone, shellfish, and seaweed, at depths of up to 20 meters. Speed and efficiency are paramount during these dives, which the ama call “50-second battles.”

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There are two diving methods practiced by ama: kachido and funado. In the kachido method, a rope is attached to a net basket that floats on the surface. Divers tie this rope around their waist, and place their catch in the basket. The funado method is typically practiced by married couples: the husband waits on a boat while the ama makes a quick dive using a weight. When ready, the diver signals her husband on the boat, who reels her in using a pulley.

Ama are an essential part of life and culture in Ise-Shima. Although their number has decreased in recent years, facilities like the Toba Sea-Folk Museum aim to preserve their legacy for future generations.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.