The first museum in Japan
specializing in pearls
Pearl Museum
Through the relationship between people and pearls, learn the intricacies of how pearls form and the method of culturing pearls from detailed panels and videos throughout the museum.
Admire the beauty of the world-class antique jewellery collection on the museum's second floor. Pieces from all over the world highlight the different approaches cultures take in showcasing the pearl's allure and ellegance.
Exhibition Overview
1st floor: "How pearls are made" and "Pearl production and distribution"
The types and ecology of pearl oysters, the relationship between oysters and pearls, and the mechanism by which pearls are made are explained in an easy-to-understand manner using specimens, models, diagrams, videos, etc. This exhibition room allows visitors to understand pearls from various angles, including the work done at pearl farms, the harvesting process known as "hamaage," environmentally friendly "sustainable pearl farming," the structure and color of pearls, their brilliance, and their production and distribution.
In the special exhibition room, you can see the "Yumedono" (Dream Palace) and "Globe," both made of pearls, as "Art and Crafts of the Heisei Era."
2nd floor: "The Age of Natural Pearls" and "The Age of Cultured Pearls"
Pearls have been desired by people since ancient times. In this exhibition room, you can enjoy the beauty of pearls while tracing how they were harvested around the world. Please enjoy the variety of jewelry made with small seed pearls, strangely shaped baroque pearls, and beautiful teardrop pearls. We will also introduce the history of Japanese cultured pearls, which developed from the Meiji period to the Showa period, along with a variety of accessories. One must-see item is the Yaguruma obi clasp, which Mikimoto Pearl Shop exhibited at the Paris World Exposition in 1937.
Jewelry Collection
Year-end and New Year special exhibition
In honor of this year's zodiac sign, we are holding a special exhibition of four snake-themed jewelry pieces.
"The Age of Natural Pearls"
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"The Age of Cultured Pearls"
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A highly readable column by Kiyoro Matsuzuki, director of the Pearl Museum. We specialize in a wide variety of fields, including pearls, literature, Ise-Shima culture, history, and folklore.