Farm visits in Japan?

[SPJ2022]

Hi,
I am going to Japan for a few days in April. Any recommendations on pearl farm visits? I will be in Tokyo. I'd love to visit Mikimoto, but a closer and smaller farm that I can buy from later online would be ideal. It would be amazing to make jewelry from pearls whose farm I actually visited.
For reference, I am a very small artisan handmade operation. Not looking to buy volume. Thanks in advance!

 

[eletons]

Hi,
I am going to Japan for a few days in April. Any recommendations on pearl farm visits? I will be in Tokyo. I'd love to visit Mikimoto, but a closer and smaller farm that I can buy from later online would be ideal. It would be amazing to make jewelry from pearls whose farm I actually visited.
For reference, I am a very small artisan handmade operation. Not looking to buy volume. Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I wonder if the farms will sell you some pearls because they usually sell to wholesalers or companies or pearls are sold in lots in auctions. Not sure what quality you are looking for, if you are looking for gem grade or above, I don't think you can get any unless those farms are sneaky.

I think you can go to pearl wholesalers or attend jewellery show to buy some pearls.

Hope someone else can chime in and provide more information.

 

[jshepherd]

There aren't a lot of farms in Japan set up to receive visitors. Mikimoto has a great museum and has an experimental farm operating nearby, but they don't sell those pearls.

Akoya pearls go from farm to auction to processing, and are mixed during the process. There are some smaller wholesalers who do own farms as well, but even they supplement with other pearls, so their finished hanks contain pearls from multiple farms.

The

 

[jeg]

Hello SPJ2022! Your reference was helpful. It sounds like you would be better suited to trade shows if you have the credentials, although there are some limitations if not dealing in volume. It’s always nice to have a connection with the pearl farmers and be able to use/wear their pearls. Something that is more possible with Tahitian pearls and some SS pearls. Visiting a pearl farm in Japan would be educational, but all Akoya are processed, so the pearls would not be ready to use for your jewelry. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[pearlescence]

Pearl farms are working farms and usually not set up for casual visitors and retail sales (they simply don't drill etc for example) I've been very fortunate to visit a south sea and an akoya farm for several days each time, through the generosity of their owner, but both times I was put to work (which made it even better as I learned so much).

 

[SPJ2022]

Hello,

I wonder if the farms will sell you some pearls because they usually sell to wholesalers or companies or pearls are sold in lots in auctions. Not sure what quality you are looking for, if you are looking for gem grade or above, I don't think you can get any unless those farms are sneaky.

I think you can go to pearl wholesalers or attend jewellery show to buy some pearls.

Hope someone else can chime in and provide more information.

Hi, thanks for posting. I'm not looking to buy on this trip, just see the process and do some tourist stuff. I might come back for some shows in the future.

 

[SPJ2022]

There aren't a lot of farms in Japan set up to receive visitors. Mikimoto has a great museum and has an experimental farm operating nearby, but they don't sell those pearls.

Akoya pearls go from farm to auction to processing, and are mixed during the process. There are some smaller wholesalers who do own farms as well, but even they supplement with other pearls, so their finished hanks contain pearls from multiple farms.

The

Oh, I see. I might still try to find a smaller farm to visit, but if not I will check out Mikimoto. Thanks!

 

[SPJ2022]

Pearl farms are working farms and usually not set up for casual visitors and retail sales (they simply don't drill etc for example) I've been very fortunate to visit a south sea and an akoya farm for several days each time, through the generosity of their owner, but both times I was put to work (which made it even better as I learned so much).

Oh funny they put you to work! I bet it was a great time, though!

 

[pearlescence]

Not funny at all. It is why I went. No better way to learn and understand how it all works. I didn't want simply to walk around like some royal visitor, nodding, smiling and waving.

 

[SPJ2022]

Not funny at all. It is why I went. No better way to learn and understand how it all works. I didn't want simply to walk around like some royal visitor, nodding, smiling and waving.

Oh, ok. The scenario in my head was light-hearted and humorous. Sorry.

 

[pearlescence]

Sorry. Your post read to me as a bit sneery. So I got defensive.. It was an amazing time. First pic is the remote Indonesian island pearl farm and second an akoya farm in vietnam - i'm harvesting pearls and assessing them for size and quality for selection as mantle graft material

 

[SPJ2022]

Sorry. Your post read to me as a bit sneery. So I got defensive.. It was an amazing time. First pic is the remote Indonesian island pearl farm and second an akoya farm in vietnam - i'm harvesting pearls and assessing them for size and quality for selection as mantle graft material View attachment 467253View attachment 467254

Oh, I am so sorry! Not intended that way at all! Thank you for sharing your photos! What a great experience.