What to know
Mikimoto Pearl Island (ミキモト真珠島, Mikimoto Shinjujima) is a fascinating museum dedicated to pearls, pearl cultivation, and Mikimoto Kokichi, the pioneer who first succeeded in culturing pearls. The island sits in Toba Bay and is connected to the mainland by a bridge.
Born in Toba in 1858, Mikimoto Kokichi became the first person to successfully cultivate pearls in 1893. He opened his first Mikimoto Pearl Store in 1899. The Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall tells his life story. Also on the island, the Pearl Museum offers detailed explanations about pearls and pearl cultivation in both Japanese and English. In the adjacent Pearl Plaza, you can view and purchase a wide selection of pearl jewelry.
The island also hosts hourly performances by female divers known as ama (literally "sea women"), who have traditionally planted and harvested oysters and other seafood.
Mikimoto Pearl Island is a short walk from Toba Station, which is served by JR and Kintetsu trains. The train ride from Iseshi Station to Toba takes 15 minutes and costs 240 yen on JR or 390 yen on Kintetsu. Each line has one or two departures per hour. Direct trains also connect Toba with Nagoya (JR and Kintetsu) and with Osaka and Kyoto (Kintetsu).
How to get to and around the Shima Peninsula
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 9:00 to 17:00 (closing time seasonally varies by +/- 30 minutes)
- Closed
- The second Tuesday in December and the two following days
- Admission
- 1650 yen (~$10.56)
- English name
- Mikimoto Pearl Island
- Original name
- Mikimoto Pearl Island
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.