The Legend of Benziaten 

Benzaiten (弁才天) is one of the Seven Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin 七福神) and is the goddess of music, arts, beauty, and, most notably, the seas. One of the most famous legends associated with Benzaiten tells that she is the protector of the ama. It is said that once, one of the most skilled ama met Benzaiten while harvesting pearls, and the goddess taught her how to harvest the rarest pearls, blessing her hands with special underwater skills. The ama are often viewed as priestesses of Benzaiten, symbols of devotion and purity, and the harvesting of pearls is also seen as a sacred act.

At Enoshima (江ノ島), an island south of Tokyo, there is the famous shrine of Benzaiten, where you can find statues celebrating the ama. The worship of Benzaiten and the connection between the ama and the sea have a strong tie to Japanese folk religion.