The 6 most attractive points of Mie are these!

The 6 most attractive points of Mie are these!

Local Gourmet, such as Matsusaka beef (Matsusaka Ushi), Ise-ebi (lobster), buffet-style restaurants of oyster all-you-can-eat, souvenirs such as Mikimoto Pearl known as the most high quality in the world, the superb view of the oceanfront resort and the hot springs, amusement parks where you can enjoy with your family, Ise Jingu which is a supreme shrine in Japan, and Kumano Kodo known as the world heritage; these are all located in Mie Prefecture!

The "Ise Jingu" which we wish to visit once in our lifetime and the "Kumano Kodo" the World Heritage Site known as the Road of Pilgrimage

The "Ise Jingu" which we wish to visit once in our lifetime and the "Kumano Kodo" the World Heritage Site known as the Road of Pilgrimage

"Ise Jingu" is where many Japanese "wish to visit once in their lifetime" and is considered to be the top of all the shrines in Japan. 

Today people from all over the world visit Ise Jingu, and also when the Ise Summit was held, the world leaders have visited there. 

On winter solstice, the morning sun shining on the middle of Torii (gateway) of Uji Bashi (bridge) is very mysterious. 

We recommend you to go there in early morning since the gate opens at 5 AM. 

If you visit and pray during the morning sunshine, you probably will feel refreshed.  


Related Links:                                                                                                                                                     >Ise Jingu outer shrine (Toyoukedai-Jingu)                                          

 >Ise Jingu inner shrine (Kotai-Jingu) 

After visiting Ise Jingu, how about walking the old towns? 

There are restaurants, souvenir shops, famous sweet shops and hotels for travelers,etc., that reproduce the old streets called the "Oharai-Machi", a temple town on the stone pavement along the Isosuzu gawa (River) from the Uji Bashi (Bridge), which is the entrance of the Inner Shrine of Ise. 

In the middle of the street, there is the "Okage-Yokocho", where there are about 60 shops being located, is crowded every day like a festival and is a popular spot even for Japanese. 

You might be attracted by the famous sweets and the lovely Japanese variety goods that has been a souvenir from the old days.



Related Links:

>Okage-Yokocho 

>Oharai-cho

"Kumano Kodo" is a street registered as a World Heritage of road, which is very unusual in the world. 

The "Kumano Kodo Ise ji (Street)" in Mie Prefecture is a path of prayers where people who visited Kumano-San-Zan (mountain) from the Ise-Jingu walked along. 

There is a word such as "Seven times in Ise, three in Kumano" expressing the street to be very famous for people who pray frequently. 

There are many kinds of courses that you can enjoy various kinds of scenery, including the one that you can view the best "Tanada" (rice fields) in Japan.



Related Link: 

>Maruyama-Senmaida

We recommend you the Kumano-gawa (river) course if you want to have a rare experience. 

You move along Kumano-gawa, registered as the only World Heritage for "Pilgrimage routes of rivers", by a nostargic "Sandanbo" (three anti-sail), a "Hokagebune" (sailboat). 

When you move slowly only by the power of wind, you would feel like you have become together with the nature as you hear the sound of the river flow and the blowing of the wind. 

You could feel the lofty rock wall and the water surface shining in emerald green just nearby yourself.



Related links:
>Kumano-River Taikan-Jyuku/Sandanbo

{The best seafood & Brand beef} Japanese delicacy can be tasted in Mie Prefecture.

{The best seafood & Brand beef} Japanese delicacy can be tasted in Mie Prefecture.

The Ise, Shima, Toba area in Mie Prefecture are known for the continuing gentle shallow as the seashore where plenty of seafoods are caught since the old days. 

The king of gourmet of the sea is "Ise-Ebi (shrimp)". 

We can eat them in various ways, such as Ike-Zukuri (sashimi arranged in the original shape of the fish) which you can taste the gentle sweetness, and Sumibi-Yaki (char-grilled) that you can enjoy the fresh and juicy taste, and also the dynamic "Omiso-shiru" (miso soup). 

"Kaki (Oyster)" is also one of the best foodstuff which we recommend you to eat when you visit Mie Prefecture. 

There is an area called "Oyster Road" in Uramura ward, in Toba-city where there is "Pearl Road" connecting from Toba to Shima, and there are many restaurants where you can enjoy all-you-can-eat buffet of Oyster. 

The area is popular because you can enjoy the splended view of the sea, the smell of the tide and also the taste of the Oyster.

                                                     
Related links:
>Let's go to Toba/Uramura for all-you-can-eat oysters! Have a stomachful of oyster, the winter gourmet!  
>The Oyster road of Toba/Uramura 

If you plan to visit Mie you shouldn't be missing eating Matsusaka beef. 

For Japanese, Matsusaka beef is the  brand beef as famous as Kobe-beef. 

As the good cow with selected pedigree is being raised slowly in long time, the the marbling of the beef becomes so fine that it is called "the art of meat". 

The beautiful carved line of the marbled beef will make your heart pound. 

It is characteristic for its sweetness and the premium lard that could melt even in your hand. 

We recommend you to eat them as a "steak" so that you can enjoy the smell of the meat by broiling it, and also "Sukiyaki" by broiling and boiling in a shallow iron pot. 

Go and taste them when you visit Mie.



Related Link:  

 >Taste Matsusaka beef, the premium brand beef at Matsusaka, the home of beef

 >Wadakin

The hometown of Iga Ninja, who worked actively all over Japan, is located in Iga. 

When you go to Iga area, you must visit "Iga-ryu Ninja museum (Ninja-Yashiki)", where a female Ninja will guide you through the Karakuri-Yashiki (Ninja House). 

The museum reproduces the Ninja house of the old era and there are various devises such as a trick for the Ninja to disappear, and the female Ninja will explain those with demonstration. 

The spectacular Ninja show that uses real Ninja goods and "Shuriken-Uchi" (throwing knife) are popular.



Related links:
>Iga-Ryu Ninja Museum

You can see the people who changed their cloths to the costumes of the Ninja walking around  "Iga-Ueno Castle" and nearby. 

Inside the Ueno Park where there is Iga-Ueno Castle, there is a "Ninja-Henshindokoro" (Danjiri-Kaikan), and if you change your cloths there to Ninja clothing and walk around the castle town, you might have a chance to take many memorial pictures of yourIga trip. 

Iga-Ueno is a town that could be a beautiful picture by itself, especially at the spot such as "teramachi-Dori" where the white walls of the temple continues. 

While walking around the town, you can discover gourmet and goods connected with Ninja which could be very interesting.



Related link:
>Iga-Ueno Castle

Do you know Ama?

 It means women who dive into the sea and get shellfish and seaweeds. 

They are registered as National Intangible Cultual Heritage and there are only few places where Ama lives in Japan. 

Toba/Shima area is where such rare Ama are most active.

It is incredible that they can get shellfish such as abalone and turban shell and also Ise-ebi (shrimp) by skin diving without breething for 50 seconds!

There are many "Ama-Goya" (Ama hut) along the seashore of the Toba/Shima area where Ama takes a rest.

 "Amagoya-Taiken" (Ama hut experience) is an experience that you can see the shells taken by Ama from the sea in early morning to be grilled in the hut full of rusticity. 

You can eat the seafood at the best timing when it tastes most delicious because Ama, who is the professional of seafood would grill it by the fireside for you. 

The old Ama who are always smiling gives you energy, and you can eat the grilled fresh shell while it is hot. 

The experience is popular among foreign travelers because they can go through the Japanese culture.



Related links:
>The hot grilled seafood tastes so delicious! Let's go and experience Ama hut!                                  >Amagoya (Ama hut)  

Flowers, sea, autumn color, etc… Mie is full of superb views!

Flowers, sea, autumn color, etc… Mie is full of superb views!

In Mie where the weather is warm, many kinds of flower bloom.

"Plum Grove in Inabe-city Agricultural Park", where you can see 4000 plum trees of 100 kinds forming the huge plum grove like a patchwork carpet, and "Suzuka Forest Garden", where about 200 trees of weeping plum grow and has the fantastic light up view, are the noted place known to a selected few, for appreciating the plum flowers that tell the arrival of spring early in the season.


Related links:
>Flowers, sea, autumn color, etc... Mie is full of superb views!
>Beautiful and illusionistic...Mie's two selected "superb view of plum"
>Inabe-City Agricultural Park
>Suzuka Forest Garden

The East side of Mie faces the long coastline, which allows you to see the fantastic view of the rias shoreline and the archipelago. 

There is a footbath on the viewing platform on the top of Asakuma-san (mountain), which is located along "Ise-Shima Skyline", a highway in the sky that connects Ise and Shima. 

There, you could spend your time luxuriously as you soak your feet in the footbath while enjoying the view of beautiful Ise Bay and its islands. 



Related links:
>Ise-Shima Skyline

At Akameshijyuhachitaki hiking trail, you can see various kinds of big and small waterfalls, and also enjoy views of the seasons such as fresh green, red leaves and icefall. 

The Akameshijyuhachitaki has a meaning that if you are able to visit and see all the waterfalls, your wish might come true. 

Let's go to the hiking trail that is also a healing and spiritual power spot where you can feel plenty of negative ions in the air.



Related link:
>Akameshijyuhachitaki                                 

Nabana-no-sato illumination attracts peple from all over the world for its extreme volume and the beauty. 

The spot most popular for couples is the "Light of  the sea of clouds" which the blue LED light makes the mysterious atmosophere. 

There is a crystal white arch being decorated, and it is said that if the couple go through the arch they would become happy!



Related links:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
>Let's go to the "Nabana-no-Sato", the worldclass view of flowers and illuminations 
>Nabana-no-Sato

There are many theme parks in Mie where both adults and children can enjoy !

There are many theme parks in Mie where both adults and children can enjoy !

Let us introduce you the biggest amusement park in Japan, "Nagashima-Spa-Land". 

There are almost approximately 50 kinds of attractions, including the thrilling ride such as the huge roller coaster "Steel Dragon 2000" listed in the Guinness World record, and also "Acrobat", the first flying coaster to debut in Japan. 

As a huge leisure land consisted of all kinds of facilities, you can enjoy there not only the amusement park but also "Jazz-Dream-Nagashima" (outlet mall), "Jumbo-Sea-Pool"  (only in the summer time), "Nagashima-Onsen" (a bathing island), and "Ampanman-Museum" (managed by different company).



Related links:
>Let's go and vist the theme park during your trip and enjoy with your family                                                                                                           
>Nagashima-Spa-Land

While this huge vehicle-centered leisure land consists mainly of international racing course where big races like "F1 Japan", "GP" and "Suzuka 8" are held, it also contains facilities like amusement parks, hotels and resaturants. 

There are more than 30 kinds of attractions in the amuesment park "Motopia", such as an attraction for kids over 3 years old, or the one that you clear your misson by cooperating with your family or your friends. 



Related link:
>Suzuka-Circuit   

"Ise-Azuchi-Momoyama-Jyokamachi" reproduces the old town of 400 years ago. 

It is a Theme Park where you can experience the culture and the life of the people of those days. 

Before you walk inside the castle, change your cloths to the one of the Sengoku Period's! 

Let's thoroughly enjoy the feeling of the era!

You can choose and rental the cloths selecting freely from the Ninja costume and 3 kinds of Kimono. 



Related link:
>Ise-Azuchi-Momoyama-Jyokamachi 

"Toba-Aquarium" has the biggest number of creatures in Japan. 

There is a large-scale enviromental exhibition and many unique shows. 

Both adults and children would get absorbed when you go to the museum full of entertaining trics. 

This is the only place in Japan where you can see dugong, and other animals like capybara, fishing cat and Asian small-clawed otter are also available.



Related links:
>Toba-Aquarium 

Do not miss to visit "Shima Spain Village" when you travel to Shima area. 

It reproduces the exotic enviroment of the Spanish town. 

It is a huge leisure land that consists of 3 facilities including the theme park "Parukeespanya" (parque de España), the resort hotel "Shima-Spain Village", and the hot spring "Himawari-no-yu", containing attractions, entertainment, restaurants and shops.



Related links: 

  >Shima Spain Village  Parque de España

Tourist attractions covered by this article