Hanadama is the Japanese word for spherical flower and is the highest attainable grading for Akoya pearls as described by the Mikimoto Pearl Company, the original producers of Akoya pearls. Each Hanadama-grade strand of Akoya pearls must and will be accompanied by an individual, numbered certificate from the Pearl Science Laboratory of Japan to be sold as "Hanadama grade".
After every Akoya pearl harvest in Japan, the pearls are separated into graded lots to be sold direct to processing factories or at live auctions. Of the separated lots, there is always one lot that is treated differently. These are the pearls that have been selected from the harvest due to their remarkable luster, surface and overall quality. These pearls are handled and sold as a separate product.