BWeaves Amazing Journey to Japanese Pearl Farms

[BWeaves]

Pearl pagodas.

A replica of the pearl Liberty Bell, complete with crack made with blue pearls.

A pearl and diamond globe. It's taller than I am.

I was hoping that the gift shop would have a coffee table style book showing all the exhibits with good photos. They did not. I think it's a missed opportunity.

Antique natural pearl jewelry. These are not cultured pearls by Mikimoto.

Mikimoto cultured pearl royal crowns.

The Pearl Queen. Andy took my photo wearing the cardboard replica. Man, that lighting is harsh.

 

[BWeaves]

After wandering around the Mikimoto museum by ourselves, we found out that the director of the museum had been waiting for us for an hour in the library. Hisano said she'd never seen so many books about pearls, but they were all in Japanese. Most of us bought "Pearl Book" by Shigeru Akamatsu, put out by the Japan Pearl Promotion Society. It cost 5000 Yen, but they gave us a discount, so we paid 4500 Yen. I finally spent some of my Yen.

And then the director brought out trays with 17th, 18th, and 19th century natural pearl jewelry from the vaults. These were not pieces that were on display. These were not Mikimoto cultured pearls. These were real, old, natural pearl pieces. And he let us touch them and try them on! This was very unexpected.

That Swan called me immediately.

This is probably a natural Mississippi River feather pearl.

Ruby in the 19th century Sartoir.

The pendant alone was gorgeous, but the way the necklace was strung was amazing. The natural pearls are incredibly well matched.

Helena in a 19th century snake necklace. It looked very Bulgari, except this is much older than their designs. The Victorians were really into snake jewelry. Queen Victoria's engagement ring was a snake with emerald eyes.

Nathalie in the snake necklace.

17th century pendant.

18th or 19th century.

19th century turquoise and pearl.

Gold stone brooch.

19th century.

The only thing they wouldn't let me try on was the pearl tiara. It was too delicate.

I love the writing in the fitted case: Practical Jeweler to the Queen.

Because that parure (matching tiara and jewelry) is soooooo practical.

 

[BWeaves]

Huge natural pearl.

Amazing 19th century watch. The natural pearls are incredibly well matched. The watch is solid gold, and HEAVY.

Too much?

After we looked and touched and tried on everything (except the tiara), we went to the Mikimoto store. Jeremy said it was probably for tourists, and it was. The front of the shop was the "inexpensive" jewelry, cosmetics, and chopsticks with mother of pearl inlay. The back of the store had the higher end jewelry, but I didn't see any of the more interesting designs that I see on Mikimoto's online store. I did show Helena and Nathalie some pieces with incredible orient and luster and showed them how to compare them to pieces with less orient and luster. We also discussed the high cost of even the lower end pieces, since you're paying for the Mikimoto brand name.

It was a 3 1/2 hour drive home, and I was a bit nauseous from the drive, so I skipped dinner and went to bed.

 

[BWeaves]

Sunday, 8-June-2025

I had breakfast on the 30th floor with Andy. We were both the early risers of the group.

The 6th JPF. Japan Pearl Fair.

6th JAPAN PEARL FAIR

Hybrid international BtoB exhibition held in Kobe

japan-pearlfair.com

This is a wholesale show. Retail vendors go to this show to buy their inventory. Jewelers go to this show to buy the pearls they are going to use to create their own jewelry. Photos were not allowed. I asked permission if I could photograph in each booth. Live streaming was NOT allowed. I cannot share vendor contact information, because they are not selling retail.

Jeremy, as President of the Pearl Association of America, was one of the guests invited to cut the ribbon to open the fair.

Then we walked around the booths and met the vendors.

Yuko wanted to buy blue pearls to make a pearl choker out of her Kimono ornament that she was wearing on a chain. I helped her pick out 3 blue strands that matched the baroque pearls in her Kimono ornament.

Yuko.

Blue pearls.

PORNOGRAPHY ALERT!










Blue balls. Penis pearl.

Nathalie found a wrapped pearl necklace with tiny baroque pearls and tiny round golden pearls. It was like a tin-cup, but there was no chain between the pearls. I told her that if she didn't buy it, then I would. She bought it.

Then I found the pistachio akoyas. Drool. Nathalie bought a couple strands. They were in the 5-5.5 mm and 6-6.5 mm size range.

If I didn't already own a strand of gorgeous pistachio baroque akoyas, I would have bought some, too.

Jeremy introduced me to Betty Sue King. She was wearing amazing Tahitians that she had collected over the years.

I'd like to point out that 99% of the people at this fair were wearing black business suits. Not navy, not grey, not tan. Black suits and white shirts and black ties. The men had a single akoya pearl in their lapels. The women wore a single perfect choker of akoya pearls with matching stud earrings. I was the only person wearing a hot pink dress and purple Birkenstocks, and ropes of pearls down to my hips. I would have stood out in a crowd anyway, but maybe hot pink was a bit too, too much?

 

[BWeaves]

2 mm keshi. I would have loved to have bought this whole hank of strands, but there were priced by the single strand. And I really don't want to string multiple strands of those tiny pearls. These really glowed.

At Takashi's booth, he showed us his top quality pearls. They were already sold, but we got to oogle Tenyo and Granpearl quality, which is the highest quality Hanadama.

Natural white Hanadama akoyas on the right. Tenyo in the middle on the left. Tenyo is always pinked. Granpearl at the bottom.

Takashi gave me a gift of pearl polishing gloves.

Google Translate to the rescue.

 

[BWeaves]

Tevai found the Ritikea Tahitian pearls first. WOWZA! We're talking $70K USD retail for a single strand. My knees went weak when I walked up to the booth.

When viewing the next photo, my husband said, "I like the bottom strand."
And I said, "Congratulations. You just picked the most expensive strand in their booth."

Here's the top strand from the previous photo.

And here are the bottom 3 strands.

These were the only pearls at the show that were not akoyas. These are my lottery winning goals. (I take that back. There were some white and golden South Sea pearls.)

We had lunch at a very busy Udon noodle place. This time I ordered mine with tofu and green onions. The tofu that came on top of the thick noodles was thin and post-it note sized, and deep fried. It was also sweet, which was unexpected. I really liked it.

I spent a lot of time spending everyone else's money. I helped Nathalie buy 5 mm and 6 mm pistachio akoyas, and classic 7.5 mm white akoyas with matching studs, for her clients. I helped Yuko pick out 2 strands of 10mm akoyas to make an opera length necklace, with matching 10 mm studs for earrings. I suggested 2 orbit style clasps, and moving pearls from one strand to another, so the 2 necklaces would nest if worn together in their short forms. This way she can link them together for a long necklace, or wear one or both shorter necklaces. These were her retirement present to herself.

We also compared blue akoyas at 3 different booths. One had Madamas, one had natural blues, and one had blues created by irradiation with cobalt. Madama is the Hanadama version of blue pearls. They're rather disappointing, since they are so pale. The blue color really looks best in the natural color baroque akoyas. Those just have so much color. The cobalt blue pearls are very uniform in color, which is good for people wanting smooth, round, matched pearls. They looked better than the Madamas. I'm a sucker for blue baroque akoyas. Those are my favorites. Lots of booths had blue baroque akoyas. If I didn't already own several strands, I would have bought some.

 

[BWeaves]

At 6 p.m., the Japan Pearl Fair held a Welcome Party in one of the banquet rooms of the Portopia Hotel. Lots of good food. Lots of speeches in Japanese, translated into Chinese and English. Jeremy was called up, and he introduced each of us to the crowd. Then we took a group photo.

In hindsight, I should have gone on stage and bowed respectably. Instead, I curtsied with a grand flourish. Oh well, it went with my hot pink dress.

Yeah, I should have brought a nicer dress. The purple plastic Birkenstocks just nail the look.

Ruby, Andy, Jeremy, me, Nathalie, Helena, Tevai, and Hisano.

Group shot!

Takashi, Hisano, Jeremy, and Tevai.

Andy and Ruby.

Jeremy & Hisano, Helena, Nathalie, me, Tevai, Yuko, and Andy on the right.

Nathalie, Yuko, and Helena.

Andy, Nathalie, and Ruby.

Andy, Betty Sue, Yuko, Hisano, Ruby, and Jeremy.

 

[BWeaves]

Monday, 9-June-2025.

I went up to the 30th floor for breakfast at 7 a.m. As I was waiting in line, a random lady sat next to me and handed me a large 4 leaf clover type plant in a sparkly plastic sleeve. She was wearing pearls, so she must have recognized me from the fair.

She said, "Gift. Make you happy." I was so stunned, I didn't think to ask her name or take a selfie with her. I just bowed and said, "Arigatou (Thank you)." I wrote in my travel diary.

She ended up sitting next to me at breakfast, so I typed this up in Google Translate. Then I played it for her in Japanese when I got up to leave.

"Thank you very much for your gift. It makes me happy. I fly back to America tomorrow and I am taking it with for good luck and a beautiful memory of your kindness." Then I said, "Arigatou" and "Sayanara" (Good-bye).

At this point, I was coming down with a bad cold. Hisano had brought lots of over the counter drugs with her, since they are hard to get in Japan. I spent the rest of the trip on DayQuil and NyQuil.

 

[BWeaves]

IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

The JPF started at 10 a.m. today. At 10:15 a.m. we went to Tatsu Kuramoto's booth for a lecture on pearl quality. Tatsu is VP of JPEA as well as a pearl vendor.

Tatsu told us that the Hanadama certificates have become meaningless. Ten years ago (2015) when I bought my natural white Hanadama necklace from Pearl Paradise, the Hanadama certificate from PSL (Pearl Science Laboratory) really meant something. It gave all the information about the pearls I bought. But then everyone started wanting a certificate when they bought pearls, and the PSL started certifying lower and lower quality pearls with Hanadama certificates. Now, someone buying a Hanadama strand might be offered a really top quality strand for $5000 USD, and their daughter would whisper in their ear about something they saw on the Internet where a Hanadama strand could be had for $2000 USD. Suddenly, they thought they were being cheated, and they would buy the cheaper strand from someone else, not realizing that it was a lower quality strand of pearls.

Tatsu said that he no longer certifies any of his pearls. He wants people to judge each strand on its own merit, and not go with a strand just because it has a certificate.

Takashi told us that the Tenyo certificates, and Granpearl, and some of the other names that are being used recently for the top of the line Hanadama pearls, are basically to get back to what Hanadama used to mean. The names are different because each pearl lab that grants certificates has their own naming conventions.

Jeremy and Hisano bought some natural white Hanadamas from Takahashi Pearl Company. I wanted to compare, so I took off my 10 year old natural white Hanadama rope and laid it down next to the other pearls. The vendor immediately looked at my strand and said, "They don't make them like that anymore." And I understood why.

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Then we went into a 2 hour recorded interview with Yuko Yamashita. She is a professor of Marketing at Hitotsubashi University. She was interviewing us about our views on how best to market akoya pearls to the world. About how akoya pearls are viewed around the world. Are they luxury items, or are they considered beads. Do people really understand where pearls come from. Do they understand that cultured pearls are real pearls? Do they understand that akoya oysters filter the water, and provide a better environment for the fish and wildlife in the ocean? This makes pearl farming sustainable. What do they think sustainable really means? I think most people do not know enough about pearls or the culturing process. And that's why I'm writing this lengthy post about my trip. To get the word out about akoya pearls.

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At 6 p.m. we went to meet the teachers and students of the Japanese version of the Pearls as One course. Their course is in person with live teachers. We each gave a short talk about ourselves.

At 7 p.m. Takashi took us out for another multi-course gourmet meal that couldn't be beat. Betty Sue King joined us. We took up the entire tiny restaurant. The food was very artfully prepared and unusual. Sake for everyone. We were toasting, "Cheen! Cheen!" Finally I asked what "cheen" meant. Jeremy said it was Chinese for . . .

PORNOGRAPHY ALERT!








"Penis! Penis!"

IT WASN'T ME THIS TIME! OKAY! It wasn't me.

I think we all bonded, because we had the same sense of humor.

I passed around my travel diary for everyone to sign. I'm hopeless at keeping a regular diary or a blog, but I always keep a travel diary when I travel because I don't remember from one hour to the next what I did. My little book is packed with information. This is the first time I've ever transferred that information online. I hope you enjoyed reading about it.

OH, I forgot to mention my pearl purchase. Honestly, everything I was attracted to, I already had. Or, it was way out of my price range (Ritikea, cough, cough). Everyone kept grabbing me to advise them on pearls. I had fun spending everyone else's money, and helping them pick out pearls. But for me, whatever I bought needed to be something unique that I did not already own.

Yuko wore a very interesting ring which I liked, and I found one similar in style. Mine has two blue baroque akoya pearls set in 18K white gold.

My husband said, "I want to see this ring you bought." And then, "WOW! You can really see INTO the pearls." He gets it, and he's not even a pearl person. When you see pearls with really thick nacre and incredible orient and luster, you truly understand the beauty of pearls.

 

[SteveM]

I passed around my travel diary for everyone to sign. I'm hopeless at keeping a regular diary or a blog, but I always keep a travel diary when I travel because I don't remember from one hour to the next what I did. My little book is packed with information. This is the first time I've ever transferred that information online. I hope you enjoyed reading about it.

Impressive notetaking! Thoroughly enjoyed!

 

[BWeaves]

Tuesday, 10-June-2025.

Unfortunately, I missed the last day of the 6th JPF (Japan Pearl Fair). There was a panel discussion with Yuko, Jeremy, Helena, and Tevai, on the sustainability of pearls at 10 a.m., and I missed it. My flight home started at noon, and it was an hour taxi ride to Osaka Airport from Kobe, so I needed to leave the hotel at 9 a.m. This was the only day it poured rain.

My flight from Osaka flew to Seoul Incheon Airport. I had a whopping 2 hours in South Korea, which was a shame because I watch a lot of Korean dramas on Netflix, and I would have loved to have spent some time there, too. Then overnight to Atlanta, Georgia.

I wanted to go back so badly that the plane turned around before it got to Atlanta.

Once I got to Atlanta, my flight to Orlando was delayed 1/2 hour. Luckily, this last leg of my journey was the only hiccup. I made it home by 11:30 p.m., and it was still Tuesday!

I did not buy souvenirs in Japan. I also watch a lot of Japanese dramas on Netflix, and I really wanted to experience Japanese culture. I wanted the experience to be what I remember about the trip. And what an experience it was! A big thank you to the JPEA (Japanese Pearl Exporters Association) and the JPPS (Japan Pearl Promotion Society) for treating me to this all expense paid trip. And thank you to Jeremy Shepherd (President of the Pearl Association of America) for inviting me on this inaugural trip to spread the word about akoya pearls. The Japanese plan on doing this again. Say Yes!

Sayanara!

 

[KarinK]

Wow! This is like a book. THANK you, and also to Jeremy for picking you to come.

 

[Pella]

Tuesday, 10-June-2025.

Unfortunately, I missed the last day of the 6th JPF (Japan Pearl Fair). There was a panel discussion with Yuko, Jeremy, Helena, and Tevai, on the sustainability of pearls at 10 a.m., and I missed it. My flight home started at noon, and it was an hour taxi ride to Osaka Airport from Kobe, so I needed to leave the hotel at 9 a.m. This was the only day it poured rain.

My flight from Osaka flew to Seoul Incheon Airport. I had a whopping 2 hours in South Korea, which was a shame because I watch a lot of Korean dramas on Netflix, and I would have loved to have spent some time there, too. Then overnight to Atlanta, Georgia.

I wanted to go back so badly that the plane turned around before it got to Atlanta.

View attachment 474442

Once I got to Atlanta, my flight to Orlando was delayed 1/2 hour. Luckily, this last leg of my journey was the only hiccup. I made it home by 11:30 p.m., and it was still Tuesday!

I did not buy souvenirs in Japan. I also watch a lot of Japanese dramas on Netflix, and I really wanted to experience Japanese culture. I wanted the experience to be what I remember about the trip. And what an experience it was! A big thank you to the JPEA (Japanese Pearl Exporters Association) and the JPPS (Japan Pearl Promotion Society), and to Jeremy Shepherd (President of the Pearl Association of America) for inviting me on this inaugural trip to spread the word about akoya pearls.

Sayanara!

Thank you BWeaves for your travelogue. All so enjoyable and your enthusiasm shines through. If that hasn't whetted your appetite for a trip to Japan to see it for yourself, nothing will.