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A 1-night, 2-day trip to enjoy culture, gourmet food, and experiences in Ise-Shima National Park! Learn about pearls and the culture of Ama divers, and enjoy nature and gourmet food at tourist attractions in Toba and Shima♪

掲載日:2021.12.09

Introducing a model course touring Toba and Shima in Ise-Shima National Park! Throughout your trip, you will come into contact with the unique culture of this area, such as pearls and Ama divers, and enjoy the gourmet food and sightseeing spots unique to this area rich in nature. And at night, go to a glamping facility that is trending right now! This plan is perfect for families and group trips♪

What is Ise-Shima National Park?

Ise-Shima National Park, located in eastern Mie Prefecture, is one of Japan's leading marine national parks, with a distinctive ria coastline. The complex coastline, dotted with small coves and headlands, is not only a fishing ground for abundant seafood. The calm waves make it ideal for kayaking, canoeing, and other sea activities.

The Ise/Toba area in the northern part of the park is home to popular facilities such as IseJingu and TobaAquarium. In Shima and Minamiise in the south, there are many photogenic spots such as Yokoyama Observatory, marine sports, fishing spots, etc., making it an area that everyone can enjoy.

It's also great to have fun learning about how local people have lived in the midst of nature, such as the ama culture and pearl farming.

Explanation of the areas covered in this course


Shown on the map are the spots you will visit on this course. (Total 8 locations)

Experience the culture of this region at an experience facility where you can learn about ama divers and pearls, and fully enjoy the tourist attractions and gourmet food of Toba and Shima in 2 days and 1 night! This is a course where you can fully enjoy the charm of Ise-Shima National Park ♪

Learn about pearls at the MikimotoPearlIsland museum and watch an ama diver's demonstration!

MikimotoPearlIsland, located in TobaCity the birthplace of pearl farming, is a museum where you can learn everything about pearls. In addition to selling jewelry such as pearl necklaces and earrings, this is a spot full of attractions where you can watch ama diving demonstrations.

First, let's learn about the types and structure of pearls and the history of pearl farming at the museum.

Ever since KokichiMikimoto invented a method of cultivating pearl oysters in 1893, pearl farming has developed mainly here in Ago Bay. At the time, natural and cultured pearls were sometimes perceived as different things, but now it has become a pearl brand that women all over the world admire.

How did they use all their wisdom and efforts to create this tiny pearl? The contents of the exhibition conveyed the situation!

Of course, you can purchase pearl jewelry on the island, so why not buy one as a souvenir or to commemorate your trip? You might find the perfect pearl for you♪

There is a bench in the store where you can take a relaxing break, so you can also enjoy the view of Toba Bay that stretches out in front of you.

Additionally, at the Ama Stand on the island, you can watch traditional Ama fishing up close. The Ama divers dive lightly from the boat and dive down to a depth of 5 to 6 meters to catch their fish!

It is held several times every day, so if you are planning to go see it, please check the schedule on the official website in advance.

Enjoy an extremely fresh Hamayaki lunch at Nakayoshi Suisan in the port of Ago Bay!

For lunch, enjoy a luxurious seafood lunch at Nakayoshi Suisan located at the port of Ago Bay. This is a restaurant where you can eat fresh local seafood grilled on the beach while feeling the sea of Ago Bay up close.

I ordered the mini barbe Q set recommended by the general. Turban shells, large clams, butter-grilled scallops, and cypress shellfish are grilled on a griddle.

By the way, Hinoki Ougi is a shellfish that looks like a scallop and is cultivated as a by-product of pearl farming, and is often eaten in the Ise-Shima region.

``I'm a nosy friend'' I enjoyed delicious Hamayaki while listening to the cheerful chef's interesting talk♪

Experience pearl extraction and make pearl accessories at "Shinju no Sato"♪

After enjoying a delicious seafood lunch, head to "Shinju no Sato" a little further away. This is an experience facility located at a pearl farm in Ago Bay, where you can experience extracting pearls from cultivated Akoya oysters on the spot.

I'd like to get the pearls out right away, but first I'll learn about the local culture of pearls and how to get them out.

This video was handmade by the staff at the facility, and it was very easy to understand, and I had fun learning while sometimes saying things like "Huh!" out loud.

Now that we have learned the ABCs of pearls, it is time to try our hand at extracting pearls! This is one of the many shellfish! Choose the shellfish that you like.

Even if there are no pearls inside the shellfish, don't worry, you can try again. The extracted pearls can be made into bracelets and necklaces, making them great gifts and souvenirs.

You can eat the scallops you chose during the experience on the spot, and it was delicious with sashimi soy sauce ♪
(Feed the meat to the fish.)

The last remaining shells are also made into accessories, making it an eco-friendly experience! I was impressed. It was a facility where you could experience the wonderful consideration of ``utilizing all the blessings that nature has given us.''

Enjoy swimming and sea kayaking at GozaShirahamaBeach with outstanding transparency!

About 20 minutes by car from Shinju no Sato is GozaShirahamaBeach, which has been certified as one of the 100 best beaches by the Ministry of the Environment.

If you visit in the summer, of course you can go swimming in the sea! You can enjoy activities such as sea kayaking even in the off-season, and you can try seine fishing between April and November.

If you don't have a sea kayak, don't worry, you can rent one at the glamping facility "Laguna Ise Shima" introduced below. The clarity may make you wonder, “Is this really Japan?” ?

Please enjoy "pleasure" in the sea surrounded by nature.

Authentic camping experience and tent stay at the glamping facility “Laguna Ise Shima” ♪

We stayed at Laguna Ise Shima, which is a 1-minute walk from GozaShirahamaBeach. This is a trendy glamping (*) facility where you can enjoy an elegant tent stay in a location surrounded by the great nature of Ise-Shima.


(*) Glamping is a coined word that combines glamorous (luxury) and camping, and refers to an experience where you can easily enjoy camping without having to prepare any camping equipment.

Barbecue facilities are not shared but are attached to each tent, so you can enjoy a private dinner time♪ Recommended for groups of women as there are plenty of amenities.

Enjoy a luxurious barbecue and campfire using ingredients from Ise-Shima, and spend an elegant night with your friends ♪

Admire the great nature of Ago Bay from the boat on the “KashikojimaEspa?aCruise”!

The next day, take a tour of Ago Bay on KashikojimaEspa?aCruise ♪

Being able to admire the beautiful coastline made up of islands and peninsulas of various shapes from a boat is a unique charm of this Ise-Shima National Park area.

Adults and children alike will get excited about the ship, which looks just like a pirate ship. Let's sail around the bay while enjoying the pleasant sea breeze♪

“ShimaMediterraneanVillage” is a place where you can take lots of Instagram-worthy photos! Enjoy a stylish lunch♪

After enjoying the spectacular view of Ago Bay from the boat, head to ShimaMediterraneanVillage, an Instagram-worthy spot!

This resort accommodation facility is located in the rich nature of Ise-Shima, but has a Spanish atmosphere, and you can also take a day trip to the village for just 500 yen.

The sight of white-walled buildings makes me feel like I'm traveling abroad!

There are many stylish buildings and cafes, so you can take Instagram-worthy photos everywhere.

Why not have lunch at the restaurant “Rias” in the village?

At this famous restaurant, which collaborated with a Michelin 1-star restaurant, you can enjoy new Basque cuisine using abundant ingredients from Ise-Shima.

You can also enjoy a luxurious lunch time overlooking the beautiful sea of Ago Bay!

Let's go see sea creatures at TobaAquarium, one of the largest in Japan!

Now that you've enjoyed the great nature and gourmet food of Ise-Shima, why not go see some sea creatures at TobaAquarium, one of the largest in Japan?

The dugongs that can only be seen here in Japan, the elegantly swimming finless porpoises, and the petite and cute otters will soothe your soul.

The museum also has corners with various themes, such as ``The Sea of Ise-Shima,'' where you can experience the marine ecosystems you visited on your trip.

Dolphin, sea otter, and walrus shows are held several times a day, so be sure to check out the various shows♪

TobaAquarium is the aquarium with the largest number of species in Japan, so you can enjoy it to the fullest as long as you have time left on your trip!

What did you think

In this article, we have introduced a model itinerary that allows you to fully enjoy the charms of Ise-Shima National Park in one night and two days. Not only is it fun to play, but by experiencing the traditional culture of Ama divers and pearls, you can rediscover the beauty of this region and get closer to nature.

The starting and finishing points are near Toba Station, so we recommend renting a car from Toba Station, which has convenient transportation. Everyone, please come and experience this area!

Mie Kanko introduces other model courses for enjoying Ise-Shima National Park. If you are interested, please take a look at the Ise-Shima National Park special website.

Additionally, the special website for Mie Prefecture National Quasi-National Park introduces four national and quasi-national parks within Mie Prefecture. Each area has its own natural charms, so please take a look at them as well.


Click here for my map showing the spots I visited this time ↓

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