🗺️ Kozue Ama Center小袖海女センター

The KOSUKE Ama Center is a tourist facility located on the KOSUKE Coast. The KOSUKE Coast is known for its beautiful scenery, dotted with many strange rocks and formations along the coastline. The original facility was completely destroyed in the Great East Japan Earthquake, but it was rebuilt in 2015 and reopened as a themed tourist facility focusing on the "Northern Limit Ama." The "Northern Limit Ama" refers to the ama divers active along the KOSUKE Coast, who became famous throughout Japan due to the NHK morning drama "Amachan." The facility is a three-story building. The first floor features a gift shop selling local products, the second floor has an exhibition area introducing the history of the ama divers, and the third floor includes a light meal dining area where visitors can enjoy various local dishes. The rooftop offers a viewing platform to appreciate the scenic views of the KOSUKE Coast. Ama diving performances are held on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays from July to September, at a natural fishing ground in front of the KOSUKE Ama Center. Visitors can not only watch the ama divers perform the exciting spectacle of hand-diving for sea urchins but also taste the incredibly fresh and delicious sea urchins on-site (additional fees apply). The first Sunday in August hosts the "Northern Limit Ama Carnival," where visitors can watch the ama divers' performances for free. The KOSUKE Ama Center is also famous as a filming location for the NHK drama "Amachan." Scenes featuring the observation hut, white lighthouse, ramp in front of the fishing port, and breakwater were all filmed in the KOSUKE area. It remains a popular pilgrimage site for many fans as a "sacred place."

As "Kujirama Women's Fishing Techniques," it was designated as an intangible folk cultural asset of Kuji City in 2018. The natural fishing grounds where the ama (female divers) perform demonstrations are the filming locations for the free diving scenes in the NHK serial television drama "Amachan." The Kosode Coast is part of the Sanriku Sea area and is renowned as one of the world's three major fishing grounds, being a treasure trove of high-quality ingredients such as sea urchins and abalone. During peak season, restrictions on self-driving access may be implemented to avoid overcrowding.