Having succeeded in culturing pearls only after challenging Mother Nature and being driven to failure countless times over the years, Kokichi developed a strong sense of both awe and gratitude toward nature. It was nature that both nurtured the growth of his beloved pearls and shaped the very essence of the subtle beauty of Japan throughout the changing seasons. The beauty of the four seasons constituted a key source of inspiration for the design approach that came to be known as 'Mikimoto style' and served as a springboard for Mikimoto creativity. Further, Kokichi's continual contact with the forces of nature as he cultured pearls led him to the knowledge that nature is fierce and at the same time fragile enough to be easily damaged by human hands. He was therefore keenly concerned with the coexistence of humanity and nature, and even in those days of limited environmental consciousness, he spoke fervently of the necessity of protecting nature and of promoting tourism as a means of making people aware of its magnificence. Above all, Kokichi continued to shower attention on his hometown, the splendidly situated "hometown of pearls," Ise-Shima, and made every effort to have it designated a national park. He also renamed the island of Ojima, where he had first succeeded in culturing pearls with his wife Ume, dubbing it 'Pearl Island.' (It is now called "Mikimoto Pearl Island.") He invited visitors from all over the world to Pearl Island, introducing them to the charm of pearls and to the wonderful local natural environment and scenery. As the fame of Ise-Shima spread, Kokichi became painfully aware of its poor transportation facilities. He took it upon himself to build a waterway, and a tunnel and to set up an entire transportation network for the area, including roads and railroads. He donated money for the planting of trees along the Miyuki Shrine Road, one of the avenues of pilgrimage to the Great Shrine of Ise, such that the various trees--cherry, maple, and camphor--would bloom with the changing of the seasons. This succession of good deeds won Kokichi the deep affection of the local people. Even now, there is a local road named after Mikimoto. He wore a bowler hat and a frock coat. He made memorable, sometimes startling pronouncements. He flew around to the world's major cities in the course of his work and occupied center stage at glittering social functions. Kokichi must have made an indelible impression on many people. But in his later years, he chose to pass his time along the coast near his hometown of Ise-Shima. He never craved luxury, and he lived a simple, refined life in which he aimed for heightened sensitivity, a grasp of the basics of life, and pursuit of the essential nature of things. It is said that in his private life, he displayed an undaunted simplicity of manner. Having moved away from Hiyoriyama, where the town of Toba and Toba Bay stretched out before him, Kokichi moved to a house overlooking Ago Bay. He called the house 'Shinjukaku', a name written with the characters for "True Long-Life Palace" but which when spoken in Japanese sounds like 'Pearl Palace'. He lived a simple life, buoyed by the gentle sunlight streaming through the treetops and the mild breezes from the ocean. This life built upon a dream of pearls ended on a day when the bay was sparkling in the sunlight. Kokichi Mikimoto was 96 years old.