A day in the life of an ama diver
The few remaining ama female divers are the torchbearers for one of Japan's most remarkable cultures. As hardy as they are alluring, these women free-dive to the ocean floor to gather pearls and seafood for trading ashore. On this Journey, guests are taken diving by a veteran ama as she hunts for seafood – including scallops, abalone and sazae horned turban. Back on dry land, she will prepare a fantastic seafood barbeque in a traditional amagoya hut.
Cultivate your very own akoya pearl
Ago Bay, situated a stone's throw from Amanemu, is a place of spectacular raw beauty. The oyster rafts dotting the calm waters are a telltale sign of the region's world-famous pearls. This Journey takes guests to one of the bay's most picturesque oyster farms. Here, guests work with a veteran of the industry to cultivate their very own akoya pearl – revered for their lustre and colouring. Months later, guests can either return to the region to extract their pearl, or have it delivered to a destination of their choice.
Ise Jingu and the food of the gods
Ise Jingu is the spiritual home of the Japanese people – a 2,000-year-old Shinto shrine with a divinity that must be experienced to comprehend. Among its most important rituals are the morning and evening meals offered to the deities, 365 days a year for the past 1,500 years. This Journey takes guests on a tour of the region to sample the foods included in those offerings. This is a unique culinary adventure to some of the finest producers in a place long known as Japan's Imperial breadbasket.