The Kii Peninsula’s Fascinating Ama Divers 

Pristine ocean views, abundant nature and delicious fresh seafood invite visitors to Toba from all over the world. However, nothing is as influential and fascinating as the longstanding Ama culture. The Ama divers are a pillar of the Toba community in the Kii region, actively maintaining 2,000-year-old diving techniques and fishing seafood delicacies and pearls. ‘Ama’ translates to ‘Sea Woman’ and represents an incredibly unique and special culture that the community adores sharing with visitors. There’s a variety of experiences available that facilitate an immersive snapshot of the Ama diving culture. 

The Ama Hut Experience 

The Ama community is a very tight-knit group with an incredibly compelling culture, traditions and rules. One of their key customs is to maintain the amagoya ‘ama hut’ that they gather and relax in after diving. To hear about the ama customs, story, history and use of equipment for the ama divers themselves, visit Osatsu Kamado in Toba and book the hut experience. 

Mikimoto Pearl Island 

This aesthetically captivating island in Toba is where Kokichi Mikimoto first founded the pearl culturing process in Toba. Ama divers offer demonstrations of their diving techniques to fish fresh seafood and cultured pearls, using all traditional free diving techniques with no modern intervention. The demonstration is mesmerising and there are also opportunities to participate. 

Enjoying Ise-Shima-Toba Seafood 

There are 750 ama divers for seafood and pearl oysters around the Toba area, which is roughly half the total divers in all of Japan. Therefore, enjoying a seafood dining experience in Toba is a key coupling with the Ama Hut experience. Indulge in the fresh catch the Ama divers prepare in the hut for the ultimate culturally immersive experience. Alternatively, several restaurants in the Toba area champion the quintessential local delights including abalone, oysters, scallops, turban snails, sea urchins and other shellfish.