Kokichi Mikimoto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kokichi Mikimoto
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| 御木本 幸吉 | |
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| Born | 25 January 1858 Toba, Shima Province, Japan
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| Died | 21 September 1954 (aged 96) |
| Resting place | Aoyama Cemetery, Tokyo |
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| Awards | Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure (posthumous) |
Kokichi Mikimoto (Japanese: 御木本 幸吉, Hepburn: Mikimoto Kōkichi, 25 January 1858 – 21 September 1954) was a Japanese businessman. He is famous for creating the first cultured pearl. He also started the cultured pearl industry with his company, Mikimoto.
Mikimoto was honored by the Japanese government. He was chosen as one of Ten Japanese Great Inventors by the Japan Patent Office. His company, Mikimoto, became one of the world's most luxurious brands. Mikimoto was also seen as one of Japan's top business leaders in the 20th century. He also founded Mikimoto Pharmaceuticals, which makes beauty products using pearl calcium. Mikimoto Pearl Island is named after him. The crowns used by Miss Universe and Miss International winners are also linked to his work.
Contents
Early Life and Dreams
Kokichi Mikimoto was born on January 25, 1858, in Toba, Japan. His father owned an udon noodle shop. Kokichi was the oldest son.
When he was 11, his father became sick. Kokichi left school at 13 to sell vegetables and help his family. As a child, he watched pearl divers bring their treasures to shore. This made him very interested in pearls. In 1878, at age 20, he saw many imperfect pearls at an exhibition. This made him want to find a way to create perfect pearls.
Creating Cultured Pearls
Mikimoto began looking for a new way to make pearls. He was the head of the Shima Marine Products Improvement Association. At that time, people wanted more pearls than nature could provide. This made him think about protecting the oysters that make pearls.
In 1888, Mikimoto got a loan to start his first pearl oyster farm. He set it up with his wife, Ume, in Ago Bay. After many tries and almost running out of money, he succeeded. On July 11, 1893, he created the first half-round cultured pearls. He made these pearls by putting a small piece of mother of pearl inside an oyster.
At first, it was hard to sell his cultured pearls. People were confused about them. To help sales, Mikimoto opened a jewelry store in Ginza, Tokyo. There, his workers taught customers about cultured pearls. He showed his pearls at an exhibition in Norway in 1897 and started selling them to other countries.
It took him 12 more years to create perfectly round pearls. These pearls looked just like the most beautiful natural ones. He started harvesting many of these pearls in the 1920s. In 1927, Mikimoto met the famous inventor Thomas Edison. Edison was amazed by Mikimoto's cultured pearls. He said it was "supposed to be biologically impossible."
Mikimoto later learned that other people, like biologist Tokichi Nishikawa and carpenter Tatsuhei Mise, had also found ways to make round pearls. They discovered that putting a small piece of oyster tissue with a shell bead into an oyster could create a pearl. This method was called the "Mise-Nishikawa method."
Mikimoto had his own patents for making pearls. But he eventually made agreements to use Nishikawa's methods after 1916. After this, Mikimoto's business grew very quickly.
Growing the Pearl Business
New technology helped Japan's cultured pearl industry grow fast after 1916. By 1935, Japan had 350 pearl farms. They produced 10 million cultured pearls each year!
Mikimoto Pearl Company
In 1899, the first Mikimoto pearl shop opened in the stylish Ginza area of Tokyo. It sold natural and half-round pearls. The Mikimoto business soon expanded around the world. They opened stores in London in 1913.
By 1935, there were too many Japanese cultured pearls, and prices were falling. Mikimoto traveled to Europe and the US to promote Japanese pearls. He even publicly burned tons of low-quality pearls. This was a stunt to show that his company only sold the best quality cultured pearls.
After World War II, Mikimoto opened more stores. These included stores in Paris, New York City, and other major cities. This made Mikimoto one of the first Japanese brands to be known worldwide.
Mikimoto often had to prove that his pearls were real, not just "imitations." He used every chance to promote his pearls. For example, at the 1926 Philadelphia World Exposition, he showed a copy of the "Liberty Bell" covered with pearls.
Mikimoto was also the official jeweler for beauty pageants like Miss USA and Miss Universe for several years.
In 2013, the company was chosen to design special jewelry for Princess Kako of Akishino's 20th birthday. This included a beautiful tiara with flowers and Japanese symbols.
Personal Life
Mikimoto's wife was Ume. She was his partner in creating the cultured pearl. They had five children: Rui, Mine, Yo, Ai, and Ryuzo.
Kokichi Mikimoto passed away on September 21, 1954, at the age of 96. You can see his personal items at the Mikimoto Pearl Island Memorial Hall in Toba, Japan.
See also
- Cultured freshwater pearls
- Ama (diving)
