The Pearl Divers

The Pearl Divers

At Toba, before Kokichi Mikimoto (1858-1954) perfected a method for cultivating pearls here in 1893, Ama (female divers—women were believed to have bigger lungs) would dive all day, bringing up a thousand oysters, but they wouldn't necessarily find a valuable pearl. Pearl oysters are now farmed, and the famous female divers are a dying breed. On the outlying islands, however, women do still dive for abalone, octopus, and edible seaweed. The Mikimoto Pearl Museum,on Pearl Island, 500 yards southeast from Toba Station, explores this history. 0599/25-2028. www.mikimoto-pearl-museum.co.jp. ¥1,500. Apr.-Oct., daily 8:30-5; Nov.-Mar., daily 9-4

Take one of two routes from Ise to Toba: a 45-minute bus ride from near Nai-ku, for ¥980, or the more scenic JR train, for ¥230. Toba Tourist Information Center (0599/25-2844), outside Exit 1 of Kintetsu Toba Station, has an English map of the main attractions. Open 9-5:30.