Cultured Pearl Industry in Nagasaki

Nagasaki takes pride in the technology behind its position as the second largest producer of cultured pearls in Japan. The objective of the tour, including a workshop, is to learn the true value of pearls which are carefully cultivated by experienced artisans under natural and geographic conditions.

Even only few locals know the fact Nagasaki has been deeply rooted in culturing pearls for more than 70 years.

Suitable conditions for cultivating pearls are very limited. Considering many factors such as constant low temperature throughout the year and calm inner sea, Omura Bay is most suitable for growing pearls that are strong enough to undergo insemination which is equivalent to a big surgery.The "pearl seed" is placed within the adult oyster and grown for at least 18 months.

The pearl oyster acts like it tries to protect itself and when it has the "foreign substance" in its body. In this course of natural protecting action, pearls are made. So almost all the pearls cultivated in the world are artificially grown. If you would like to find a natural pearl, it means you are going to kill thousands of oyster pearls to just find a piece of pearls. Because they are living things, oyster farmers, at least, in Japan take utmost care of the oyster pearls.

If you wait for a pearl to grow "naturally" without the insemination of the pearl seed, then you will be waiting for more than whopping years to come: more than a century. In comparison, several years don’t seem like much after you hear that. Not surprisingly, not all the pearls end up making pearls. It sure needs a lot of work but with very little reward it comes unless you are a big fan of pearls.

We strongly recommend the Nagasaki Pearl Shop.You can get a quality pearl for a really stunning retail price.

We are also going to provide a hands-on program to take a tour around the pearl farm, take a look at the process and even try to pick out a pearl from the oyster if you go there in the right time of the season.

Beca