okay here's more info
This is a contractual job for a client who has bought the rights to translate and publish a coffee table book dealing with Japanese
AMA divers.
Ama, traditional female divers
Ever heard of Amas, traditional female divers? They are gathering shellfish, pearls and other deep water things, without diving gear, not even mask or goggles. Amas have practiced special breath- hold technique which allows them to hold breath for up to five minutes. Someone said that this technique is based on hyperventilation before diving. They sometimes dive down to 10 metres deep, and always come back to surface looking just good. They put their catch to small wooden baskets floating on water surface, soon going back down again. They say that diving is not really hard, some divers are over 70 years old!
The gathering season lasts from March to early December. One known place to see ama is Toba city, located near bay of Ise, southeast or east from
Osaka.
It's rather peculiar skill they have, also, it's really hard to get information about them. In addition that nobody really seems to know when they have learned this skill, there are only few books which descibe their unique profession. There are some records made by Chinese observers that say that Ama has been existed in third century. They are know to harvest seafood for Japanese emperors during that time.
However, there is a tale which tells about young Ama, called Kiyomi. She was discrace for her family, who were all amas, since she was afraid of deep water. Worried of her future, once she was able to learn diving by love of sea turtle.
