Mikimoto Pearl Island

Kokichi Mikimoto was an udon seller's son who became a pearl dealer, watched oyster stocks collapse under harvesting pressure, and set out to make pearls rather than find them. Years of failure followed, including a red tide that killed his stock; in July 1893 he found a semi-spherical cultured pearl in one of his oysters on this islet, and by 1905 he had a fully round one. The museum on the island covers the technique - a nucleus and a piece of mantle tissue inserted into the oyster, which coats it - along with the grading of pearls and a collection of nineteenth-century pearl craft objects including a pagoda made with tens of thousands of them. Ama divers, the women who free-dived for the oysters before culture made it unnecessary, give demonstrations in white cotton diving dress from a boat off the island several times a day.

History

In 1893 Mikimoto Kōkichi succeeded in culturing pearls on this island, then called Ojima. The town of Toba sold it in 1919, bought it back in 1927 and in 1929 sold it to Mikimoto, using the money to found an elementary school; he renamed it Mikimoto Pearl Island in 1951, a museum of his life opened in 1958 and a Pearl Museum in 1962, and a bridge to the mainland was finished in 1970 (Wikipedia, Mikimoto Pearl Island).

What you'll find

• The first cultured pearl - produced on this islet in 1893 after repeated failure.
• The technique explained - nucleus and mantle tissue inserted and coated by the oyster.
• Pearl craft objects - nineteenth-century pieces including a pagoda of tens of thousands.
• Ama demonstrations - free-divers in white cotton working from a boat several times daily.

When to go

All year. Two hours. Check the ama demonstration times on arrival.

What to expect

It is a company museum and the shop is a substantial part of the experience. Ama demonstrations are short and cancelled in rough weather. Entry is charged and pearls are expensive. The island is small.

Nearby

Ago Bay is south; Ise Jingu is west.

Key facts