Ago Bay, Coastal bay in Shima, Japan
Ago Bay is a coastal bay near Shima with roughly 60 small islands and several peninsulas that form a complex network of waterways. The intricate shoreline creates a varied marine landscape with hidden coves and passages.
In 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto started the first cultured pearl farm here, changing the global pearl industry. This innovation made Ago Bay a center for modern pearl farming.
Ama divers still work in these waters using traditional free-diving methods to harvest seafood, a practice passed down through generations and visible in daily coastal life.
The best way to explore the bay is to take the train to Kashikojima Station, reachable from Osaka and Nagoya. From there, visitors can access boat tours and viewpoints around the waterways.
Hundreds of pearl farming rafts float across the water and mark this place as unique. Technicians there produce high-quality cultured pearls daily using methods Mikimoto developed over 100 years ago.
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