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Mie Prefecture’s famous Ago Bay is the undisputed historic birthplace of the cultured akoya pearls. For generations, this was the center of the pearl universe. It was also home to Shimizu Tagao, a third-generation master artisan whose family had the art of pearl cultivation woven into their very DNA.
But Shimizu did not want to just repeat the established traditions. He wanted to change them.
In 2003, his quest took him hundreds of miles away to Narushima, a remote island tucked into the rugged embrace of Nagasaki’s Goto archipelago. Mesmerized by the wild, untamed beauty of the coastline, he realized he had found something extraordinary.
Narushima wasn’t just beautiful – its deep, jagged bays and nutrient-rich currents offered the perfect sanctuary for a secret hidden just beneath the surface: a native strain of Akoya oysters unlike any found back home.
For over two decades, as a lonely pioneer on this quiet island, Shimizu has defied the established standards of the industry. Traditional Akoya pearls past 11mm are virtually inexistent. Yet, out of Narushima’s waters, Shimizu-san routinely produces pearls exceeding 10mm, with some reaching an astonishing 13 to 14mm—nearly rivaling the massive, legendary South Sea pearls prized across the globe.
The secret to this impossible size lies in a combination of Naru island’s natural conditions, Shimizu’s perfected techniques as well as his indomitable spirit to endure hours of hyper-precise, tedious labor. Shimizu relies entirely on wild, indigenous spats (baby oysters) sustainably gathered straight from Narushima's nearby bay. Because these native oysters grow larger than their mainland cousins, they possess the rare ability required to cradle and nurture bigger akoya pearls.
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Roots of the Pearl Craft
Long before Japan taught the world how to cultivate pearls, a genuine pearl was one of the rarest phenomena. For ancient pearl hunters, the odds of finding a single, beautiful gem hidden within a wild shell were close to one in a thousand.
This scarcity drove a relentless hunt. To find just a handful of pearls, hunters ravaged thousands of wild Akoya oysters, pushing the entire species to the brink of extinction.
The man who turned things around was the legendary Mikimoto Kōkichi, the visionary founder of the global jewelry empire that still bears his name. He realized that the only way to save the industry, and the species, was to figure out how to grow pearls artificially instead of hunting for them in the wild.
Mikimoto set up his trials on Ojima Island in Mie Prefecture. After years of failure, his initial breakthrough came in 1893 when he managed to cultivate the world’s first semi-spherical Akoya pearls. He didn't stop there; by 1905, he perfected the method to create the completely round, spherical pearls we see today. In recognition of this feat, Ojima Island was eventually renamed Mikimoto Pearl Island.
This breakthrough in Ago Bay completely changed the global market. It kicked off what historians call the "democratization of the pearl," making a luxury item that was once reserved exclusively for royalty widely available and affordable for ordinary people.
Yet, Mikimoto’s legacy was not only commercial. By understanding and leveraging the natural biology and habits of the oyster, this early framework can be considered one of the first successful traditional models of biotechnology application.
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Assembling your own customized pearl bracelet
Shimizu’s studio is adjacent to his pearl farm. It sits right next to his pearl farm, tucked away in one of the quietest and most scenic corners of Narushima. The studio itself is simple, cozy, and filled with a relaxed, reflective atmosphere—a welcome contrast to the fast pace of modern travel.
Inside the main hall, a display of Shimizu-san’s custom artwork showcases the incredibly diverse ways these large Akoya pearls can be used for design. Visitors have the freedom to sit down and assemble their own custom piece of jewelry using the island's unique Akoya pearls.
If your travels bring you to Narushima, making time to visit the studio and adjacent farm is highly recommended. Getting to see the meticulous cultivation process with your own eyes, right alongside the artisan who dedicated his life to it, makes for an unforgettable connection to the island.