Kokichi Mikimoto was born on January, 25 1858 in Toba, Japan. His father was a noodle-shop owner who supplemented his income by selling vegetables and charcoal to feed his family. At that time, the city of Toba’s most famous export was natural Ise pearls. 

From humble beginnings, Kokichi Mikimoto proved to be an inspiring entrepreneur. Mikimoto began working with his father, but decided to expand the noodle business to begin trading pearls. The family leased a farm at Ago Bay, Japan and Mikimoto started to experiment with cultured pearls using the traditional Chinese method. Over the years, Mikimoto refined this method and around 1895, he produced his first harvest of fully round cultured pearls. 

The “Mikimoto Pearl” quickly took the US and Europe jewelry scene by storm. The young entrepreneur was able to offer a high quality pearl at a 25% discount to his natural pearl competitors. 

Mikimoto Pearls were offered to royalty and celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe. He was even invited to the home of Thomas Edison, who stated, “This isn’t a cultured pearl, it’s a real pearl”, when analyzing a pearl Kokichi presented to him. By the beginning of World War II, Mikimoto Pearls were being sold worldwide. 

Kokichi Mikimoto died in 1954 at the age of 96. The island where he grew up, Toba, is now known as Mikimoto Pearl Island. His namesake company is still a leader in the jewelry industry and Kokichi Mikimoto is still commonly regarded as the “Founding Father of the Cultured Pearl Industry”.