Hitoshi Yoshida, president of Tokyo-based jewelry maker Mikimoto, visited Governor Ogawa at the Prefectural Office on Jan. 23 to announce his company would begin selling pearl necklace sets made from pearls cultivated on Ainoshima Island (Shingu Town). In 2000, the Prefecture discovered that Ainoshima was home to a natural colony of Akoya pearl oysters—a rarity in Japan. In light of this, Mikimoto established a subsidiary on the island in 2007 and began culturing the oysters. Not only are the Ainoshima oysters less susceptible to Akoya oyster disease, they can be farmed year-round, their nacre is thicker and they produce large, high quality pearls.
Mikimoto’s necklace sets were crafted from pearls carefully selected over the past five years. 90 sets will go on sale on March 6 at five local department stores, and prices will range from ¥680,000 to ¥1.99 million. “We are committed to quality, and I would like the whole world to know Ainoshima pearls”, declared Yoshida. Governor Ogawa said he was delighted to hear that Ainoshima pearls would be hitting the market and hoped their high quality would ensure their continued success.
Source: Nishinippon Shimbun
