Chris LeeJapan is famous for being a country with a long history and a desire to preserve traditions. Its culture is influenced by its status as an island nation, and Japan’s seafood dishes are among its most well known cultural exports.
Despite this, some lesser known Japanese traditions are on the decline. One such tradition is Ama diving, which has thousands of years of history behind it. Ama comes from the kanji for “sea” and “woman,” and Ama divers have been almost exclusively female.
With their unique diving and fishing style, they traditionally have not relied much on diving equipment such as oxygen tanks. In the past they would even dive topless, though in the modern day they wear wetsuits. Ama divers embrace these limitations partly as a way of preventing overfishing and cultivating a sustainable fishing environment.
Ama diver numbers have dwindled. Today, there are only around 660 in all of Japan, with half of those in Mie prefecture. Many of them are elderly, though some younger women have embraced the Ama lifestyle.
Ama catches have also declined in part due to climate change and overfishing. The numbers of abalone, a type of sea snail they catch, have declined dramatically over the decades. In 1966, the total catch of abalone in all of Mie prefecture was 752 tons; in 2014 it was only 62 tons. Ama incomes have fallen and they have to resort to new distribution methods, such as the internet, to make a living.
Places you can visit to experience Ama culture
There have been efforts to preserve Ama culture. The Toba Sea Folk Museum in Mie prefecture has an Ama exhibition that was recently reopened following the improving coronavirus situation in Japan. Visitors can learn various things about the Ama divers, including how they fish, the changes to their culture over the years, and the species they fish and the environments they dive in.
One guesthouse in Toba City also tries to introduce Ama culture to local and overseas tourists. Amarge guesthouse is run by an English speaking Ama diver Rikako Sato and her husband. A one night reservation includes tours where visitors can see real Ama fishing and the huts called “ama goya” that they rest in after diving.
Lessons from Ama’s sustainable practices
Even as Ama culture has evolved and unfortunately diminished over the years, it still gives us a fascinating look into a simpler time. Preserving the legacy and traditions of lesser known cultures, activities and lifestyles is important not only for the cultural value, but also for the practical lessons we can learn from them.
The sustainable practices of Ama divers are relevant today, as we all deal with the effects of climate change and Japan in particular deals with the impact of overfishing. Practices that help sealife populations sustain themselves over the long term benefit both marine environments and the industries that rely on them. While prefectural governments enforce their own regulations on Ama fishing, much of their sustainable practices are self-imposed.
Moreover, maintaining different cultural traditions can give us insights into lifestyles that are different from our own. Even some people in Japan may not have direct experience with Ama culture. Preserving the Ama diving practice can help foster empathy for people and regions with very different customs, both among Japanese and foreign residents and tourists. While the future for Ama divers may be uncertain, Ama culture is an example of the importance of not letting the past die out.
[Reference] The Japan Times[Reference] Mainichi Shimbun
