I’ve completely fallen behind on updating my articles.
My work outside of pearls has been incredibly busy, leaving me with less time to dedicate to pearls.
On December 12th, the pearl harvest began at the Akoya pearl farm where I used to work. This farm has been struggling with a serious labor shortage, but since two years ago, they’ve been relying on the help of workers from Indonesia. This has significantly alleviated the labor issues.
The island where the pearl farm is located has a population of less than 30,000.
For many island residents, foreign workers remain an unfamiliar concept, so despite the need for labor, many businesses hesitate to take the leap.
Amid this situation, the pearl farm boldly became a pioneer among the island’s pearl farms by hiring foreign workers.
The Indonesian workers are all in their twenties, young, and extremely hardworking.
Some of the existing employees have started to feel a mix of half-joking and half-serious concern, saying, “At this rate, we Japanese workers might lose our jobs.”
This time, pearls were harvested from Akoya oysters that had been nucleated by the Indonesian workers. According to the farm manager, “As long as we properly prepare and maintain the condition of the Akoya oysters, even a beginner can produce decent pearls by inserting nuclei.”
In fact, pearls created by an Indonesian worker who had only been employed at the farm for three months turned out to be of reasonably good quality, just as the manager said. Even the most skilled and experienced nucleation technicians cannot produce good pearls if the Akoya oysters are in poor condition.
In a situation where labor is scarce, having even beginners insert as many nuclei as possible into the oysters is crucial for the operation of the farm. The quantity of pearls produced directly impacts the farm’s operating budget.
Before seeking help from the Indonesian workers, the farm’s workforce was dwindling due to aging employees. As a result, the number of people available to insert nuclei decreased, leading to fewer pearls being harvested each year. Thanks to the Indonesian workers, it seems the farm will be able to harvest plenty of pearls in the future.
That said, across Japan as a whole, the annual harvest of Akoya pearls has been decreasing by about 20% each year. Some might think that fewer pearls would increase their value, but for pearl businesses, having too few makes it hard to stay viable.
Unlike South Sea and Tahitian pearls, which are farmed in warm seas and can be harvested year-round, Akoya pearls are harvested only once a year, and the quantity is relatively small.
Personally, I believe Akoya pearls will continue to captivate many people, but I can’t help but feel a bit concerned about what changes might occur as their numbers dwindle.
Right now, I’ve just returned home to Kobe from Osaka on my motorcycle, riding for an hour in temperatures around 4°C (39°F). My body is chilled, and my fingers are stiff as I type on the keyboard. I’m about to take a hot bath to warm up.
For those living in colder regions, please stay warm and take care of yourselves!
Here are some photos from last weekend when I visited the herb garden in Kobe with my mother.
Although I wanted to work on my pearl-related tasks, I prioritized my mother’s wish to “go somewhere” since she lives in the countryside.
We went to enjoy the autumn foliage together, and both my mother and I were absolutely delighted.
My personal favorite photo
We took a ropeway to a place where we could see the whole of Kobe city.
Across the sea is Wakayama Prefecture. Apparently, in the 1400s, Wakayama was one of the world’s leading trading ports.
Please enjoy the video as well.
The autumn leaves are said to be a phenomenon that occurs when the supply of nutrients to the leaves is cut off. As the leaves lose nutrients and the flame of life goes out, they turn red and yellow. It’s very sad when you think about it. Are people drawn to them because they unconsciously know that it’s the last light of life? Or are people simply enjoying the beautiful autumn leaves? From spring to summer, the leaves shine with life, like budding greenery. In autumn, the leaves turn red, and in winter the leaves return to the soil. The laws of nature are easy to understand and make sense of, but I find it very mysterious why they work that way.
Comment