Surrounding Areas
2 articles
Articles on neighbouring areas worth a short side trip — the ama divers of Toba, pearl cultivation in Shima, the castle town of Matsusaka. I try to step away from the usual sightseeing list and approach these places from their lived history and present-day rhythm. Many of them are doable as day trips, so this can also be used as a planning aid.
Articles
- Shima and Ago Bay: Where the World's Cultured Pearls Began
Ago Bay on the Shima Peninsula is where Kokichi Mikimoto grew the first cultured pearls. A look at the ria coast, the Akoya oyster, and how it all started.
- Toba's Ama Divers and the Question of UNESCO Recognition
How Toba's ama diving tradition won Japan Heritage status in 2017, why UNESCO recognition is still open, and what a careful visitor can actually see.