Pearl Divers of Japan: My Best Diving Experience!

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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.

KIRBY FUKUNAGA
ハワイで生まれ育ち、プロサーファー、フォイラー、スキンダイバー、カメラマンの肩書きを持ち、ウォーターマンとして、海で多くの時間を過ごし、海から多くのモノをもらいながら生活しています。彼が伝えようとしていることは、海がある生活は僕らを豊かにしてくれるということ。そして、自分だけではなく、いろいろなことをみんなにシェアし、人生を楽しむということ。現在は、ハワイでプライベートサーフィンガイドを主催。
カービー福永のハワイサーフィンガイド
https://go-naminori.com/kirbyhawaiisurfingguide