Former Self-Defense Forces talent Kazari has joined the [Mie Travel YouTube Team], which promotes the charm of "Mie Travel" through YouTube videos and special articles on sightseeing in Mie, as a special dispatch member! This time's mission is to "experience Ama culture!" The experience is also available as a YouTube video ♪ Please see the bottom of the article for details.

■Table of contents

• 1. What is Ama?
• About Ama
• Types of Ama divers
• What Ama divers use
• 2. Enjoy seafood from Ise-Shima at AmaHut（Amagoya）!
• About fresh seafood collected by Ama divers
• At AmaHut（Amagoya）, the ama divers grill the grill right in front of you!
• Ise lobster fishing is now open!
• 3. Let's ask a real Ama diver!
• Hayashi’s Ama history
• Ama divers are becoming fewer and fewer
• 4. Finally, let's try on the Ama clothing, Isogi!
• 5. Access to AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility Satoumian

1. What is Ama?

About Ama

``Ama'' refers to women who dive into the sea and collect seafood. Currently, about half of the 1,300 ama divers in Japan are in Ise-Shima. By the way...did you know that the name ``Ama'' changes depending on the way the work is done? Also, what kind of tools are used and what kind of seafood are harvested?In this article, we will introduce you to the ama culture through an experience at AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility Satoumi-an! Let's have fun learning about Ama divers♪

Types of Ama divers

At the Satoumian Ama Museum, you can learn more about the culture and history of Ama divers. Here are some of the items on display at the museum! First, let's take a look at the "types" of Ama divers.

Ama divers who work alone are called ``Kachido Ama''.

When one diver swims from the shore to the shore while holding on to a bucket or float, she is called a ``kachido.'' Kachido seems to mainly work in shallow areas of the sea (approximately 4 to 10 meters). Even though it's "shallow", it's 4 to 10 meters... From an amateur's point of view, it's deep enough to be frightening, thinking, "What if I run out of breath midway through?" In addition to Kachido, other names include ``Oyokido'', ``Hamako'', ``Koisodo'', ``Itaama'', ``Kakari'', and ``Okedo''.

Ama divers who work in pairs are called ``Funado Funedo (Funeto) Ama divers.''

When two people are involved in diving, it is called a ``Funado'' or ``Funedo.'' Funado works in the deepest fishing grounds (approximately 15-20m). In particular, boats operated by a husband and wife are called ``Totokaka ships'' or ``Meoto ships.'' The diver dives deep and deep with a rope, and when she catches what she's aiming for, she gives a signal through the rope, and her assistant (husband, etc.) called ``tomae'' pulls the diver to the surface. It's a job that would never be possible if we didn't trust each other...It's really cool. In addition to Funado, there are other names such as ``Oisodo'', ``Giri'', and ``Okatsugi''.

What Ama divers use

The items that Ama divers use when working at sea are all unique. Here are some!

Ama wear

When most people think of Ama wear, they may think of the white costume called ``Isogi'' (Isogi). In fact, Ama divers did not wear isogi until around 1955, after which wetsuits became mainstream. Going back in history, it seems that until around 1898, people were diving shirtless. Ama dive into the ocean dozens of times a day, and even when they're wearing a wetsuit, it's cold and hard, but working naked or wearing thin beach clothes...it takes a really tough person to do it. That's right!

Iso glasses

This is also surprising, but until around the beginning of the Meiji era, Ama divers would dive without wearing goggles and collect seafood. When people started wearing Iso glasses, there was a time when they were banned from wearing Iso glasses, but by the end of the Meiji period they were allowed to be used again. Ama divers still use Iso glasses to dive into the sea. It's one of the most important work tools.

Isobake

The large rock bucket is used to store the seafood that has been caught. During the course of a day's work, they dive into the sea 30 or 40 times, and when they catch prey, they put it in a rock bucket that floats on the surface of the water. It's exciting to imagine how fresh seafood fills a large rock bucket.

weight

Diving deep into the sea with just your own weight is extremely difficult. Ama dives into the sea with a weight tied around her waist.

Iso flea

A rock chisel is used to remove abalone from rocks and scrape out turban shells and sea urchins between rocks. The Ama divers use this tool very well and are able to catch seafood in one go, but amateurs have a hard time picking it up. It's a tool only for professionals.

AmaHut（Amagoya）stove

` AmaHut（Amagoya）'' is a place for Ama divers to relax. The ``Kamado'' inside AmaHut（Amagoya）is an important place that gently warms the bodies of the ama divers who get cold in the sea. Starting early in the morning, they dive into the sea dozens of times to collect seafood, and after transporting it to the market, they spend time together around the stove with their fellow ama divers. Just imagining something like that gives me a warm feeling.

2. Enjoy seafood from Ise-Shima at AmaHut（Amagoya）!

About fresh seafood collected by Ama divers

When you think of what Ama divers collect, the first thing that comes to mind is abalone. Ama divers spend long hours searching for abalone, which live at depths of 7m to 20m. Just imagining it is a monumental task... In addition to abalone, Ama divers gather a wide variety of other seafood, including turban shells, seaweed, and spiny lobster.

This time, at Satoumian, an AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility, you can enjoy spiny lobsters, abalone, cypress shells, turban shells, Japanese squid, and dried fish! In addition, you can enjoy miso soup made with sea lettuce, which lets you enjoy the aroma of the ocean, and hijiki kamameshi. Let's enjoy the seafood to your heart's content♪

By the way, the name of this colorful seashell is Hiougigai, and it is also used as a display inside Satoumian. Not only does it look cute, but it also tastes great!

At AmaHut（Amagoya）, the ama divers grill the grill right in front of you!

Just like the original AmaHut（Amagoya）, the ama divers will grill seafood right in front of you in a room with a tatami mat and a stove. The person who will be grilling this time is Kimiyo Hayashi, an active ama diver. Enjoying a meal while listening to stories about Ama fishing and the sea is truly luxurious.

The seafood made a sizzling sound as it baked, and a soft, fragrant smell wafted through the air.

After enjoying cycling in Shima, Kazari was hungry. We will eat seafood grilled by Ama divers♪ ``Fresh seafood is the best!'' she says with a happy smile. Looks delicious!

Ise lobster fishing is now open!

Ise lobster fishing is officially open from October, and the season has come when you can enjoy it at AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility ♪ ``Ise lobsters are mainly caught by gillnet fishing, which involves setting a net at night. "That's right," Ms. Hayashi, an ama diver, told me. While talking about Ise lobster fishing, we grilled a whole large Ise lobster on a net.

Mr. Kazari dips his lobster into plenty of miso and fills his mouth with the plump meat. "It's delicious! Is it okay to eat it in such a luxurious way?!", he said, both surprised and moved by the spectacular way he ate the spiny lobster.

3. Let's ask a real Ama diver!

After enjoying some delicious seafood, we asked Ms. Hayashi, an active ama diver at Satoumi-an, about her reasons for becoming an ama diver, the current status of Shima's ama divers, and more!

Hayashi’s Ama history

Ms. Hayashi started her career as an ama diver at the age of 15, and is now in her 52nd year. Both her mother and grandmother were ama divers, and Ms. Hayashi herself says, ``There was a job opening for a tourist diver at a theme park in America, so I applied and worked there for two years.'' Ama divers performing in America? ! It's so global...

After returning to Japan, she continued to work as a tourist diver at a hot spring facility in Wakayama Prefecture for 12 years before making a U-turn to ShimaCity. "I'm still active today! Being an ama diver is a job I love, so I can continue doing it forever," says Hayashi. "I've never had a cold before. Even if I feel a little unwell, I can dive in the sea and get better." "For me, the sea is medicine," he cheerfully said.

Ama divers are becoming fewer and fewer

``Currently, there are about 24 Ama divers in ShimaCity. In the past, it was common for there to be about 10 Ama divers in one AmaHut（Amagoya）, but now there are only 1 to 2 divers at a time,'' he said about the current situation of ShimaCity 's Ama divers. Ta. The number of Ama divers in ShimaCity, which numbered over 400 around 2007, has been decreasing significantly year by year. “I would be happy if as many people as possible could learn about ama culture through the experience of AmaHut（Amagoya）at Satoumian,” says Hayashi.

``By the way, 14 of the 24 people are men, and there are fewer women.'' In the case of men, they are called ``Ama,'' which is written as samurai of the sea. ``Nowadays, people wear wetsuits, so men can become ama divers as well.The traditional Iso clothes are quite cold, so women who have a relatively large amount of subcutaneous fat are better suited to become ama divers.'' "I was there," he said. I see.

Kazari: “I was able to learn a lot about Ama culture through Ms. Hayashi’s story. Thank you for your valuable story!”

4. Finally, let's try on the Ama clothing, Isogi!

At Satoumi-an, an AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility, you can experience wearing the traditional ama clothing, ``isogi''! He struck a pose wearing iso clothes, iso glasses, and holding an iso oke. Your smile is dazzling!

A YouTube video shows them enjoying this mission. Please take a look★

A detailed report on the mission of this Shima trip. Please also see the article below♪

Cycling with “Bianchi” ♪ Visit recommended scenic spots in Shima!

"ShimaMediterraneanVillage" is fun whether you stay overnight or take a day trip♪Let's explore the city like you're traveling abroad!

New dome-shaped tent! Enjoy glamping at “Laguna Ise Shima LUXUNA”!

5. Access to AmaHut（Amagoya）experience facility Satoumian