Toba Sea-Folk Museum

For a deeper dive into the history of the Ama, head to the Toba Sea-Folk Museum, located in a cluster of unique buildings designed by architect Naito Hiroshi. This museum is a real treat, with over 60,000 pieces in its collection, including the tools of the Ama, 90 wooden boats collected from across Japan, and a wide array of interactive exhibits with which guests can learn more about the Ama, their craft, and connection with the sea, from the unusual grid and star symbols the Ama use to adorn their clothes to ward off evil spirits beneath the waves, to the abalone offerings they’ve long provided to Ise Grand Shrine, Ise Jingu.