Clear Nude: The Lens + the Nude, Issue IV, Summer 2015 ClearNude: The Lens + the Nude, Issue IV, Summer | Page 13

With lack of young women to succeed their elders and

This culture of national mermaids diving for the nation is

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not unique to Japan. Since 2007, Korea has been pre-

cient practice is dwindling. Numbers have dropped to

senting its best case to have the Haenyo divers of Jeju

17,611 Ama in Japan but as of 2010 only 2,174 re-

In similar fashion, Japan has now joined the races by

mained. Of those, 973 (nearly half) work in either Toba

recommending its own female divers, boosted by the

or Shima city, Mie prefecture.

popularity of a recent NHK drama ‘Amachan,‘ starring a
young girl who moves to the Tohoku region of Japan to

As technology progressed, the Ama communities were

became an Ama diver.

faced with decisions – adopt new tools and equipment
Although perhaps the scantily-clad, romanticised imthe decision-making was the consideration of sustain-

age of the profession is a thing of the past, there’s still
a rich history and culture that needs to be conveyed to

hauls and reduce work, but at the same time, increase

younger generations. The tourism industry at Mikimoto

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Pearl is a great start to help preserve the memory, but

systems that supported life for these coastal towns.

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Rules were introduced to prevent this.
sure their heritage isn’t forgotten completely. ‡
On Hegura island in Wajima city, rules state that abalone under 10 centimetres must be returned to the sea,
with a punishment of two days without work if caught

eat.

CLEAR NUDE | SUMMER 2015

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