The first cultured pearls actually originated in Japan, with pearl farmers experimenting with freshwater mussels in Lake Biwa, which is a lake near Kyoto. Their initial harvest appeared around 1930s. Instantly, the freshwater pearl became a big hit! The luster and color looked almost the same as the natural pearls, but the prices are lower and the supply is continuous. Unfortunately there was a slump in the production of pearls during World War II, but in the 1950s they were back again in the market. Because of its success, almost all of the supplies for the global market came from the lake. In fact, some people already call freshwater pearls as "Biwas" referring to the lake where it originated.
This went on until 1973. But there were warning signs of slow production due to the resorts, farms and industries that were developed surrounding the lake. Soon the pearl farms in Biwa were barely surviving due to the pollution from industrial modernization. Then there came a time when no more pearls can be cultured in this lake. Added to that was Japanese disadvantage of not having a big lake or river to shift their production, and this was coupled with a smaller workforce.
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