Anna Fifield
@annafifield.bsky.social
Asia-Pacific editor for the Washington Post.
Reposted by Anna Fifield
The lustrous “akoya” pearl, coveted around the world for their timeless beauty, originated in the calm waters and sheltered inlets of Japan's Ago Bay.
But after 130 years, Ago Bay's pearl industry is facing an existential crisis.
But after 130 years, Ago Bay's pearl industry is facing an existential crisis.
Climate change, aging farmers endanger Japan’s ‘Rolls-Royce of pearls’
Japan’s famous akoya pearls have never been more in demand but, as seas warm and younger generations move to the city, the industry’s future is uncertain.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
The lustrous “akoya” pearl, coveted around the world for their timeless beauty, originated in the calm waters and sheltered inlets of Japan's Ago Bay.
But after 130 years, Ago Bay's pearl industry is facing an existential crisis.
But after 130 years, Ago Bay's pearl industry is facing an existential crisis.