In the heart of Tokyo, lively and vibrant Ginza district is the quintessential meeting point of heritage and luxury. With its high-end department stores, art galleries, luxury boutiques and fine dining, Ginza attracts visitors from around the world.
Within this iconic district, Mikimoto’s flagship store stands as a beacon of modern elegance and traditional Japanese values. The brand opened its first boutique, ‘Mikimoto Pearl Store’ in Ginza in 1899. Since then, it has had an unbroken presence in Tokyo’s “golden mile” shopping district.
Its current flagship store, now at a different address than the original store, reopened in 2017 after an extensive renovation. Designed by Hiroshi Naito, one of Japan’s most acclaimed architects, the Mikimoto building is sleek and contemporary, incorporating many architectural elements that pay subtle homage to nature. These, most notably include the building’s façade, which features approximately 40,000 original glass pieces, an architectural element inspired by the shimmers of sunlight on the surface of springtime sea.
The Ginza Flagship Experience
Mikimoto’s Ginza flagship store occupies seven floors of the Mikimoto building, each filled with pearlescent treasures.
Going Up the Seven Floors
Stepping inside the store, you are immediately struck by its quiet opulence and elevated décor. Crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and exquisite displays showcase Mikimoto’s superb fine and high pearl jewellery pieces.
This floor also features many one-of-a-kind pearl pieces including pearl and gem-studded brooches from the Mikimoto Petit collection. Select display cases house pieces from the brand’s highly successful MIKIMOTO x Chrome Hearts collaboration.
The second floor is where you can a vast selection of the brand’s fine jewellery pieces. This is also where you will find an array of Mikimoto pieces that pearl enthusiasts and collectors covet – pearl stud earrings, pendants, rings, bracelets ss well as single or double strand necklaces.
The brand’s fine jewellery collections are on display on the third floor. Viewing the full range highlights the breadth of Mikimoto’s design aesthetic and how each motif has been imagined in many different iterations.
Take, for instance, the Kofuku no ki brooch collection which includes a staggering selection of pieces. From the simple sterling silver and white Akoya pearl Tree of Happiness to more opulent diamond and pearl versions all the way to a one-of-a-kind black South Sea (Tahitian) pearl, green garnet and black and white diamond showstopper. There is a perfect Tree of Happiness brooch for every pearl jewellery lover.
The Necklace Floor
Moving up to the fourth floor, pearl enthusiasts are in for a real treat. This is the pearl necklace floor…ropes upon ropes of exceptional pearls, knotted into necklaces. From pinkish white Akoya pearls in a range of different sizes to dark, mysterious Tahitian pearls the size of small glass marbles and golden and white South Sea strands that simply stop you in your tracks the pearls are lustrous, round, and perfectly matched.
Mikimoto’s necklace strands feature only the finest cultured saltwater pearls. Gazing into a highly lustrous Tahitian pearl strand and seeing your sharply defined reflection mirrored back makes you understand the unwavering commitment to quality that is embedded in the DNA of this brand.
The High Jewellery Floor
For lovers of high jewellery, Mikimoto’s fifth floor is an absolute must-visit! It is here where we see elevated Japanese design aesthetic, captivating storytelling and meticulous jewellery craftsmanship on full display.
Select pieces from the brand’s latest high jewellery collection, Les Pétales, elegant and marvellously crafted, sit beside sumptuous necklaces from The Bows collection, that feature lustrous white pearls and colour-drenched gemstones.
In addition, you see necklaces from Mikimoto’s Harmony of Colors collection, where graduated rows of Akoya pearls interspersed with sparkling white diamonds and sapphires are woven into a collar of lustre, sparkle and bright pops of colour.
Lately, Mikimoto has increasingly incorporated top-grade coloured gemstones in its high jewellery pieces. These gems are sometimes used as subtle accents and at other times as the focal point of the piece. The colour palettes are carefully chosen to evoke Impressionist paintings, with pieces defined by intensely saturated hues, while others are adorned with light-filled pastel hues. In addition, diamonds of various cuts are strategically placed to enhance a sense of translucency and airiness.
Mikimoto Bridal Salon
Mikimoto’s bridal jewellery can be found on the sixth floor, at the Bridal Salon. The collection is a true celebration of love and appeals to both women and men. For instance, the Mikimoto Lumière pearl and diamond bands, launched just two years ago, have quickly become popular as engagement rings. Similarly, the brand’s Lumière matching wedding bands, inspired by the brand’s iconic pearl necklaces, are just as appealing and meaningful.
Another striking feature of this floor is its décor. The colours are elegant and muted, mostly whites with brushed stainless-steel accents, creating a space that truly embodies an elevated luxury aesthetic. Crowning it all is “Cloud of Clovers” chandelier.
This chandelier was commissioned from Lalique for the grand reopening of the brand’s Ginza flagship store. It has since become a symbol of the brand’s artistic values and served as the creative inspiration behind the Fortune Leaves collection.
Finally, the seventh floor, which is also called the Mikimoto Hall, is reserved for special events and exhibitions.
Heritage and Modern Luxury
With more than a century of history behind it, Mikimoto has consistently balanced respect for tradition with a deliberate evolution. This approach is evident in the brand’s current design aesthetic, clean lines and a colour palette defined by gem quality pearls and vividly colour-saturated gemstones.
At Mikimoto, pearls are no longer merely symbols of the brand’s illustrious past but have steadily gained contemporary relevance. The brand’s high jewellery collections recount stories that are rooted in the past but look towards the future. Les Pétales is one such high jewellery collection. Here artistic design and meticulous craftsmanship, that Mikimoto is renowned for, come together to create remarkably beautiful jewellery pieces that speak directly to a newer, younger set of jewellery lovers.
Brilliant brand collaborations such as the MIKIMOTO x Chrome Hearts and MIKIMOTO x Comme des Garçon have pushed the boundaries on how the modern luxury consumer perceives pearls. And even though this growing embrace of gender-neutral designs reflects a broader shift in how pearls are worn today, Mikimoto does not stop there and continues to experiment with scale, form and setting.
Featured Image: Mikimoto Ginza Store Bridal Salon
