Mikimoto Pearl Island

Mikimoto Pearl Island(Made based on National Land Image Information (Color Aerial Photographs), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)

Pearl bridge

Mikimoto Pearl Island (ミキモト真珠島, Mikimoto-Shinju-Jima^?) is a small island which is located in Toba, Mie, Japan.

This island is known as the birthplace of pearl cultivation and it belong to Mikimoto Pearl Museum Co., Ltd. (株式会社ミキモト真珠島, Kabushiki-Gaisha-Mikimoto-Shinju-Jima^?). This company runs this island as a leisure site.

They exhibit pearl craft goods and you can watch ama divers shows.

History

• 1893 - Mikimoto Kōkichi succeeded pearl cultivation in this island. At that time, this island was called Ojima (相島^?).
• 1951 - They opened as a leisure land.

Facilities

One scene of an ama diver's show

Pearl Museum

They exhibit pearl craft goods.

Main exhibits

• Obidome-Yaguruma (帯留矢車^?): It was exhibited at Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne in 1937. It was made from 41 pearls, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, platinums and 18 carats golds. If you assemble these parts, you can make 12 kinds of accessories such as brooches, hair ornaments, rings.
• Globe: It is a globe which is made from 12,541 pearls, 377 rubies and 373 diamonds. Its diameter is 33 cm.
• Liberty Bell: It was exhibited at 1939 New York World's Fair. It was made from 12,250 pearls and 366 diamonds.
• Mikimoto's Five-Storied Pagoda (御木本五重塔, Mikimoto Gojū-no-Tō^?): It was exhibited at Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia, 1926. It was made from 12,760 pearls.
• Himeji Castle: It was reproduced Himeji Castle as 1/90 scales by using 19,000 pearls, 447 diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, rubies and so on.
• Pearl Crown I: It is a crown which is made from 872 pearls and 188 diamonds.
• Gunbai Uchiwa: It was exhibited at Encouragement of Industry Exposition Tokyo at 1907. It was reproduced Gunbai Uchiwa by using 805 pearls which introduced from Joseon Dynasty.

Mikimoto Kōkichi Memorial Hall

They commend Mikimoto Kōkichi's life to exhibit his inheritances and panel exhibitions.

It is also reproduced the Udon shop "Awakō" (阿波幸^?), where he was born.

Pearl Plaza

They run Restaurant "Awakō" and a pearl shop.

Others

Bronze sculpture of Mikimoto Kōkichi, Shrine of Pearl, Forest of Wild Birds and Observatory is in this island.

Access

5 minutes walk from Toba Station (Kintetsu Toba Line and JR Sangū Line) will bring you this island. You can reach the island to pass a bridge named Pearl Bridge. Parking is also available.

References

• 三重テレビ放送 観光情報 ミキモト真珠島(Japanese)

External links

• MIKIMOTO PEARL ISLAND (Official English website)

34°29′0″N 136°50′49″E / 34.483333°N 136.84694°E / 34.483333; 136.84694