It depends per region, but it has been recorded that some ama used to wear only a fundoshi (loincloth) to make it easier to move in the water, as well as a tenugui (bandana) to cover their hair. Meanwhile, some others wore full white cotton clothing with a buoy and a basket that’s tied to them. Along with this get-up, they carry a flat metal bar that has a hook for catching fish, octopus etc., and a plain blunt end for prying off shellfish or abalone from rocks. The skinny-dipping practice has long been lost but the latter white costume has been mainly maintained across Japan. When the Meiji era started, they have started to wear goggles and eventually the rubbery black wetsuits. Nevertheless, the female free divers still don’t use oxygen tanks because even though it will permit them to stay in the water longer, they still want to preserve their tradition. Not wearing one also prevents them from overfishing.