diving with the amasan’s was the best experience in my life. it’s always been a huge dream and when people ask me how it was, i just say “amazing!” i shot a lot of photos and i plan to hold on to it forever because i know there won’t be any more amasan’s remaining. it’s a part of japan culture that is fading away and i’m hoping to get one more session with these grandma’s before they decide to retire.

look at their weight belt!!! omg, if a normal person strapped that on and went diving, they would never make it back to the surface. and these grandma’s don’t even use fins!! omg!

they walk underwater like they are walking in the vegetable store picking up tomatoes. i would go down at the same time, hold my breath, take these photos, and as i run out of breath and go up to the surface, i look down and the grandma’s are still walking around. it was amazing! they’ve been doing this their whole life and are living mermaids.

2 full bags of abalone in 1 hour of diving. my experience will live on forever. and next time i go to wakayama, i’m going to take the 3 hour drive back up the coast, visit the grandma’s, and hopefully they will be doing what they love to do, free diving.