1.
female diver, ama diver
A woman who dives into the sea without modern diving equipment to harvest shellfish, seaweed, sea urchins, abalone, and pearls. A traditional Japanese occupation practiced for over 2,000 years, especially associated with the Mie, Shima, and Chiba regions.
Usage
Also written as 海人 (which can refer to male or female sea divers) or 蜑. The 海女 writing specifically refers to female divers.
Ama diving is recognized as an important part of Japanese cultural heritage. The practice is declining as younger generations choose other occupations, but it continues in regions like the Shima Peninsula in Mie Prefecture, where ama culture has been practiced for centuries.
The NHK drama あまちゃん (2013) brought widespread attention to ama diving culture.
Common collocations
- 海女さん: ama diver (polite address)
- 海女小屋: ama hut (where divers rest and warm up)
- 素潜り: free-diving (the technique ama divers use)
- 海女漁: ama fishing