Mikimoto Pearl Island
Toba city
A symbol of Toba, the first place in the world to successfully cultivate pearls.
Since ancient times, Japan has been famous as a pearl production region. The Toba area was the first place in Japan to successfully culture pearls. The lush Mikimoto Pearl Island is one of the remote islands that dot Toba Bay, and is covered with 200-year old pines and chinquapin trees. Kokichi Mikimoto, founder of Japan's leading pearl brand Mikimoto, commenced the cultivation of pearls in this region in 1893. Now it has become a popular spot for tourists from all over the world.
The history of the pearl, from antique jewelry to arts and crafts.
The main facilities on Mikimoto Pearl Island are the Pearl Museum and the Kokichi Mikimoto Memorial Hall, as well as Pearl Plaza where pearls are sold. It was also the first dedicated pearl museum in the world! Here you can learn about the process and history behind culturing pearls—from antique jewelry studded with pearls, to those who built the era of cultured pearls, as well as the relationship of pearls to science and industry. Heading over to Kokichi Mikimoto Memorial Hall, you can get a glimpse of the remarkable life of Kokichi Mikimoto and familiarize yourself with the drama that unfolded upon this island.
Pearl cultivation was supported by the labor of ama, the women of the sea
On Mikimoto Pearl Island, you can watch performances by traditional female divers, who are no longer to be found. These women, known as ama, would originally dive for marine products. They existed all over Japan, but their work in Toba was special—it was the role of the ama to ensure that the seeded pearl oysters were not washed away by tides or by surging typhoons, which they did by diving into the sea and moving the oysters to a safer location.
Nowadays, through the performances presented several times per day on Mikimoto Pearl Island, visitors can view the activities of the ama, dressed in their white swimming wear.
For reference
Mikimoto Pearl Island
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- Address
- 1-7-1 Toba, Toba-shi, Mie-ken
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- Telephone
- 0599-25-2028
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- Opening hours
- 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. (varies seasonally)
Open seven days a week
Access
- Chubu Centrair International Airport is a 1-hour flight from Haneda Airport.
- Chubu Centrair International Airport is a 100-minute flight from Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport.
- Chubu Centrair International Airport is a 75-minute flight from Sendai Airport.
- Chubu Centrair International Airport is a 65-minute flight from Matsuyama Airport.
- Matsusaka Port is 75 minutes from Chubu Centrair International Airport via the Tsu Airport Line.
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- Matsusaka Station is 12 minutes by bus from Matsusaka Port.
- Toba Station is 30 minutes via Kintetsu express line from Matsusaka Station.
- The Mikimoto Pearl Museum is a 7-minute walk from Toba Station.
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