Atelier Tour: A Tour to Visit the Copperplate Print Artist Depicting Ama

Discover a world where art, tradition, and the sea intertwine on this fully private visit to the studio of artist Kenji Yoshida. For more than 30 years, Yoshida has created evocative copperplate prints depicting the ama—Japan’s legendary women free-divers who have, for centuries, descended into cold coastal waters to harvest abalone, seaweed, and other treasures of the sea. Their strength, grace, and intimate relationship with nature are central to the culture of the Shima Peninsula, and to the artist’s life’s work.

Set within the tranquil forests of Ise-Shima National Park, Yoshida’s atelier offers a rare chance to explore ama heritage through the eyes of a practicing artist. Normally closed to the public, this intimate space invites you to step away from everyday life and immerse yourself in a quiet, inspiriting environment. A short walk from the studio, the Pacific Ocean spreads out before you—a reminder of the waters that shaped both the region and Yoshida’s creative imagination.

During your visit, you’ll enjoy meaningful conversation with the artist, learning how he translates memory, emotion, and landscape into copperplate prints. Yoshida shares stories not only about art, but also about the natural rhythms of the area and the coastal communities once animated by ama divers. Your time together includes a special gift: an original portrait drawn by the artist.

This exceptional encounter offers a window into Japan’s disappearing satoumi—places where people and the sea long coexisted in harmony—and invites you to reflect, connect, and rediscover your own sense of wonder.