# 80-year-old former Ama diver in Japan symbolises fading tradition

2026-08-10T09:11:18+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

An 80-year-old former Ama diver in Japan's Mie Prefecture has become a symbol of the centuries-old tradition of female free divers who collect seafood without oxygen tanks. The Japan Times profiled Reiko Nomura in 2012, noting she had stopped diving a few years earlier and was working as a host at an Ama hut. Ama, meaning 'women of the sea', can free-dive to 15 metres and hold their breath for up to 60 seconds. The tradition, referenced in eighth-century poetry collections, is in decline as the number of active Ama dwindles.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/meet-japans-women-of-the-sea-80-year-old-diver-dives-into-cold-waters-without-an-oxygen-tank-to-harvest-seafood-using-a-centuries-old-tradition/articleshow/133088629.cms>

Tags: Ama divers, free diving, Ise-Shima, Japan, Mie Prefecture, tradition
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