Yamashita Pearl’s five specialties
1. From farming to design and sales
2. Beautiful genuine Akoya pearls at affordable prices
3. 30-day return guarantee and physical stores
4. Proof of trust, over 50 years of aquaculture history
5. Protecting the sea of Uwajima, Japan's number one pearl producing area
1. From farming to design and sales
“I want to convey the charm of real Akoya pearls.”
“I want to protect Japan’s Akoya pearl culture.”
With this in mind, third-generation owner Futoshi Yamashita handles not only pearl cultivation, but also design, processing, and sales. In recent years, it has become popular in Finland, the country of design, and has been highly praised overseas, with lines forming at exhibitions in Taiwan and Thailand.
Intense heat, violent storms, freezing sea breezes... Pearls are grown with love, protecting the mother oyster from the threats of nature. You can learn about the diverse charms of pearls by living with them every day. Each pearl has a different expression in terms of shine, shape, size, etc., and in order to bring out its charm even more, we select and process the pearls ourselves, and design them using our own sensibilities.
Uwajima boasts the highest production of pearls in Japan. Yamashita-Pearl is the only pearl farm in Uwajima that purchases over 100,000 mother of pearls and handles everything from design to sales.
The secret to making high-quality pearls >
2. Genuine Akoya pearls at affordable prices
Even if Akoya pearls are produced in Japan, there are a wide variety of quality pearls on the market from the barely-there pearls that can be sold to the highest quality pearls. Moreover, in recent years, even beads that the viewer can immediately tell are not of high quality are being sold with promotional claims such as ``Flower beads'' or ``Comes with a certificate of authenticity from ○○ organization.''
Reference: Japan Pearl Promotion Association “Caution regarding the notation of “Hanadama””
``We want more people to experience the beauty of real Akoya pearls, rather than these low-quality freshwater pearls.'' Based on this strong desire, we are focusing on direct sales of our pearls.
It is true that all the pearl jewelry displayed at department stores and top brand stores are of high quality. However, the price goes up because the product goes through many intermediaries before it reaches the customer. On the other hand , if we sell directly from production, there is no intermediate margin, so we are able to provide higher quality beads at a more reasonable price.
We want you and your loved ones to be able to wear these beautiful beads that will amaze anyone who loves pearls.
3. 30-day return guarantee and physical stores
Due to camera and screen limitations, online shops cannot display images exactly like the real thing. I think you can only get a vague idea of the texture of the material, the size, and how it will feel when you actually wear it. Moreover, pearls have unique subtle nuances such as shine, curl, and brilliance (color), which are important points.
That's why we offer a 30-day trial period with free returns. If it is not what you imagined, please feel free to return it. We also accept adjustments to the length of necklaces, etc., free of charge for the first time.
Furthermore, if you come to Uwajima, you can check out the actual product at our store, and if you wish, we will also take you to the farm. For those who would like to experience country life, enjoy Uwajima's local cuisine, and experience pearl making and accessory making, we also recommend Yukai, a fisherman's guesthouse run by the previous owner.
30-day return guarantee details >
Fisherman's Inn "Yukai"＞
4. Proof of trust, over 50 years of aquaculture history
The time is the eve of the Tokyo Olympics, a period of high economic growth. In 1963, the founder, Ryoichi Yamashita, founded Yamashita-Pearl (currently Yamashita-Pearl). Since then, three generations have been cultivating pearls for more than half a century.
The past 50 years have been a period of turbulence in the pearl industry. Massive death of mother molluscs due to red tide or infectious diseases. The rise of freshwater pearls from China. The Pearl Recession, the collapse of the bubble economy, the Lehman Shock... In fact, the number of pearl cultivators in Ehime Prefecture has plummeted to nearly one-third of its peak.
Despite this, our company has overcome these challenges through sound management, emphasizing our pride as a pearl farm, quality, and trust with our customers, while responding to the changing times. We hope to continue to adhere to this policy and deliver the beauty of genuine Akoya pearls, which Japan is proud of, to as many people as possible.
History of Yamashita Pearl >
5. Protecting the sea of Uwajima, Japan's number one pearl producing area
Since the mid-1970s, Ehime Prefecture has boasted the highest production of pearls in Japan. Among them, the Uwa Sea is the best fishing ground, with conditions such as water temperature, water depth, calmness of the waves, and amount of bait. Without this rich ocean, no matter how advanced our technology is, we will not be able to produce wonderful pearls.
In fact, Mie Prefecture, which had accounted for over 90% of production until the war, suffered a major blow as overcrowded aquaculture led to the depletion of fishing grounds, and water quality deteriorated due to domestic wastewater from hotel construction.
Unfortunately, in recent years, the Uwa Sea has also been affected by environmental pollution. That is why we are working more proactively than ever to protect the ocean environment. We conduct ocean cleanups, tree planting activities in the mountains, and donate 1% of sales from this online shop to these nature conservation activities.
Thoughts that have been passed down >