"AGO BAY, Japan - For generations, a string of perfectly round, classic white pearls - the kind worn by fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy - has been the epitome of understated class. The lustrous "akoya," coveted around the world for their timeless beauty, originated here, in the calm waters and sheltered inlets of Ago Bay, where conditions are ripe for oysters to thrive."
"Photographs by Salwan Georges. Story by Michelle Lee with Chie Tanaka. Editing by Olivier Laurent, Joe Moore and Anna Fifield. Copy editing by Elise Youn. Michelle Ye Hee LeeMichelle Ye Hee Lee is The Washington Post's Tokyo bureau chief, covering Japan and the Korean peninsula. Chie Tanaka Previously worked as a producer for TV Tokyo in New York and NHK in Tokyo, with a focus on economic issues. Salwan Georges washingtonpost.com © 1996-2025 The Washington Post @salwangeorges"
Akoya pearls are perfectly round, classic white pearls associated with understated class and worn by fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy. The lustrous akoya are coveted worldwide for their timeless beauty. They originated in Ago Bay, Japan, where calm waters and sheltered inlets create ideal conditions for oyster cultivation. Ago Bay's environment allows oysters to thrive, producing high-quality pearls over generations. The local pearl industry centers on nurturing oysters in protected inlets to develop their characteristic luster and shape, sustaining a long tradition of pearl formation and craftsmanship.
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