Mikimoto Pearl Island

In 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing pearls on this island for the first time in the world. You can visit the Pearl Museum and Kokichi Mikimoto Memorial Hall, and watch demonstrations by women divers in the sea.

In the Pearl Museum, there are exhibitions of antique jewelry made in the time of natural pearls and works of art made with pearls, and in another spot, a specialized staff explains how cultured pearls are produced using genuine products, samples, and a movie.

Kokichi Mikimoto Memorial Hall chronologically tells his life from his birth from the family of a Japanese Udon noodle shop in Toba of Mie prefecture, being successful as the pearl king, and his death at the age of 96. The view from the house of his later years, ”Shinju-Kaku”, is magnificent.

The women divers used to play a key role in culturing pearls. You can watch them performing skin diving at the depth of 5-6m.

There are some energy spots surrounded by greenery on the island. Kokichi Mikimoto is sometimes worshipped at a shrine called “Tama-no-Miya” and there is a water well called “Negai no Ido (The well making your wish come true)” near the shrine and shells are piled up. When you take one, write your wish on it, and drop it into the well, it is said your wish will come true. A stone nicknamed, “Love love no Ishi (Love love stone)” is an interesting heart-shaped stone found by chance near the statue of Kokichi Mikimoto.