Many shrines are said to be Japan’s oldest or
most significant, but adherents to the Shinto faith often declare Ise-jingū,
the “Soul of Japan,” to have the strongest claim. Enshrining the sun deity Amaterasu Omikami and containing one of the fabled pieces of imperial regalia, Yata
no Kagami (the Sacred Mirror), the shrine is almost as old as Japan itself
and brings in as many as seven million visitors each year.
But the shrine isn’t the only reason to visit
the Ise-Shima region. It’s part of the 200-square-mile Shima Peninsula in central
Japan, with cities Ise and Toba to the north and Kashikojima island in the
south. The region is home to Ise-Shima National Park, a coastline of deep bays and
islets topped with broadleaf trees, old town quarters famous for street food,
and the famous Ama, or “sea women,” pearl divers. As Japan’s major
cities get ever more crowded with tourists, places like Ise-Shima offer a
welcome reprieve.
When to visit
Even at New Year’s, when the rest of Japan
comes to a standstill, up to half a million people visit Ise-jingū for hatsumode,
the year’s first prayer. It’s one of many cultural events scattered throughout
the calendar as Ise-Shima changes with the seasons.
In February is Setsubun, a festival centered at the Futami Okitama shrine marking the end of winter with performative dances and locals throwing soybeans
from their front doors while chanting “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi”
(“Demons out, good fortune in”). Many visitors come to the region for Hanami (cherry-blossom viewing); the trees blossom from late March through early April. And October brings Shinjusai, a festival where prayers
are offered to the gods for a healthy pearl harvest. The festival is held on Kashikojima Island in Ago Bay.
An artisan exhibition comes to Ise’s Okage-za Myth Hall in July and August, followed by a Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat) festival at the atmospheric Okage Yokocho village in Ise in fall. In
December, there’s a year-end market at Okage Yokocho as well. No
matter the month, you’ll find an occasion to add cultural context to your
travel journey.
Things to do
Ise-jingū is a
complex of 100-plus shrines spread throughout a forest of towering cypress. The
two main shrines are Geku (the Outer Shrine), founded in 478 AD, and Naiku
(the Inner Shrine), where Amaterasu Omikami is deified and whose origins date to the
3rd or 4th century BCE. Both bear little ornamentation and are constructed of
plain cypress wood with thatched roofs using Japan’s ancient building
techniques.
Mirroring the Shinto belief of tokowaka,
meaning “constant renewal” or “everlasting youth,” the shrines are torn down once in every 20 years and rebuilt on neighboring sites. If you’re used to finding
beauty in old buildings standing defiant in the face of time, this may seem
odd. But the entire complex is considered the embodiment of the spirit of the
Japanese people, and you will see people walking in solemn reverence, washing
their hands (and sometimes mouths) in a sacred river, communing with trees and
praying to stones. It is Shinto nature worship in its purest sense.
The main path leading to Ise-jingū’s Inner
Shrine is called Oharai-machi, a half-mile-long flagstone street lined by
lattice-fronted shops and a jumble of tile roofs. This is a great place to shop
for crafts or sample the local cuisine like temari sushi (circular sushi
balls) with Matsusaka black beef or fatty tuna, tekone sushi
(soy-marinated sashimi with rice), a hot sweet bean soup called zenzai,
or silky tofu served with anago (saltwater eel) and miso soup.
To really immerse yourself in the history of
the neighborhood, rent a kimono and explore Okage Yokocho. This re-created
Meiji Era (1868-1912) village sits halfway down Oharai-machi, with teahouses,
an old Shinto pavilion, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and shops selling Japanese
candies and traditional toys.
Though many travelers to Ise-Shima are drawn
inland toward the shrines, it would be a shame to neglect the coast. This is
where you can see or meet one of about 700 active Ama pearl divers. You can
find diving demonstrations at Mikimoto Pearl Island, accessible by boat from
the Toba harbor, or engage with the divers themselves at Ama Hut Satoumian, a rest stop for pearl divers that won
Best Cultural Travel at the 2024 Japan Travel Awards.
At Ama Hut Satoumian, the all-female pearl
divers will explain the techniques of their 2,000-year-old free-diving craft,
regale you with tales from under the sea, and serve chargrilled seafood
including scallops, abalone, Ise-famous spiny lobsters and
other seasonal delicacies.
Being on the coast also allows you to
appreciate the natural beauty of Ise-Shima’s undulating countryside and erratic
coastline. For the most spectacular views of the peninsula, head to Yokoyama, where a series of observation decks overlook
forest-swept hillsides. To the south is Ago Bay, an islet-littered stretch of
water snaking its way toward the Pacific. In winter, when the skies are
clearest, you can even see the outline of Mount Fuji, a place many would
consider the other “Soul of Japan,” 130 miles to the east.
How to get there and around
The easiest way to get to Ise-Shima is to get a
Kintetsu Rail Pass 5day, designed for visitors to Japan, which can be purchased online either before you come to the country or after arriving. Valid
for five consecutive days, it includes travel between Kintetsu-Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka-Namba stations and Ise-Shima. A worthwhile add-on to the rail pass is the Sightseeing Limited Express Shimakaze, which departs from Kintetsu-Nagoya, Kyoto, and Osaka-Namba stations. From Kintetsu-Nagoya station it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes via limited express to reach Ise (with stops at both Ise-Shi and Ujiyamada stations) and about 1 hour and 45 minutes to reach Toba.
When in Ise-Shima, you can travel by train or bus. Trains are convenient for getting between Ise and Toba or to
Kashikojima. Alternatively, the CAN Bus ferries travelers from Ujiyamada and
Ise-Shi stations to both the Outer and Inner Shrines of Ise-jingū before
continuing onward to Toba. Bicycle rentals are available as a nice day activity.
If you’d prefer a more active mode of
transport, rent a push bike or e-assist bike from Ise-Shi Station’s baggage
storage center and navigate the town on two wheels. With its flat coastal
roads, Toba lends itself to cycling and there are several bicycle rental
services in the city.
Where to stay
Ise-Shima is full of ryokan (traditional inns)
and grand hotels situated on promontories overlooking the sea. The Shima Kanko
Hotel in Kashikojima is one of the most popular, having hosted the 42nd G7
summit in 2016. A resort surrounded by forests, it’s known for its lovely Bay
Suites, large outdoor pool, spa facilities and dining areas with sumptuous
views of the coast.
Nearby Kashikojima Hojoen is an equally
luxurious property, having hosted the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
during the 2016 summit, as well as many other distinguished guests since
opening in 1995. With its Edo-style interior decor, open-air hot spring baths
and landscape garden, it’s a place of timeworn Japanese elegance.
Other options nearby include: Miyako Resort Shima Bayside
Terrace, a hotel that could have been plucked from the shores of the
Mediterranean with whitewashed walls, clay-colored roof tiles, arched
colonnades and swaying palm fronds; and Miyako Resort Okushima Aqua Forest, a
sprawling hot-spring resort hidden among the twists and curves of Ago Bay.