Born the eldest son of a noodle shop owner at Toba in Shima (Mie).
Touring Tokyo and Yokohama, he learned that pearls fetched high prices.
He began farming Akoya pearl oysters in Ago Bay and elsewhere.
After much toil with his wife Ume, he succeeded in cultivating hemispherical pearls.
He opened a pearl shop in Ginza, Tokyo.
Overcoming a red tide that nearly wiped out his oysters, he succeeded in cultivating perfectly round pearls.
In America he met Thomas Edison, who reportedly praised his cultured pearls.
He died in Mie, remembered as the "Pearl King".
Takamine JōkichiShimoda UtakoKomura JutarōUeki EmoriTsubouchi ShōyōKanō JigorōŌyama SutematsuUchimura Kanzō
People of the Meiji period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.