Japan private tour travel tips for Mie Prefecture, south of Nagoya

The classic building style of the Ise Inner Shrine in Mie Prefecture.

Like many of Japan's 47 prefectures, Mie Prefecture seldom appears in the news for travel or anything else. This is because international news coverage focuses on Japanese cities over Japanese prefectures. The international travel stories about Japan are about Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Mount Fuji and the Niseko ski resorts of Hokkaido. The rest of the country rarely gets travel coverage. And this is a good thing because it means that almost all of Japan has never been discovered by foreign tourists.

Japanese tourists love Mie Prefecture or Japan's Riviera for its warm climate, great seafood, and deep culture. I have visited Mie on two occasions and fell in love with the region for its relaxed and off-the-beaten-track vibes.

Mie Prefecture is famous in Japan because that is where the country's most sacred Shinto shrine, Ise Grand Shrine, is located. And visiting Ise Grand Shrine is not so different from visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul or the Vatican in Italy. Ise is also famous with Japanese people for it's exotic Toba pearl divers and pearl industry.

Mie Prefecture's Shima Peninsula, where the Ise shrines are, is a popular leisure resort area that includes several major theme parks making ideal it for family travel. The peninsula is also part of Ise-Shima National Park, known for its natural beauty and cultural importance in Japan.

On your next trip to Japan consider spending a few days in Mie relaxing on the coast or experiencing spiritual awe at Ise Grand Shrine. The heart of Mie Prefecture is less than two hours from Kyoto or Osaka.

The rest of this post covers:

The best tourist attractions in Mie Prefecture

Japan private travel content by Your Japan Private Tours' (established in 1990) founder Japan travel expert Ian Martin Ropke. I have been planning, designing, and making custom Japan private tours on all five Japanese islands since the early 1990s. Your Japan Private Tours specializes in bespoke travel for private clients (I do not work with agents) including exclusive excursions, personalized experiences, and unique adventures. I am 100% client-centric and total individual attention. Consider my Japan travel services for your next trip. And thank you for reading my content. Learn more!

The best tourist attractions in Mie Prefecture

Ise Jingu Inner Shrine: The Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine is one of Ise's two primary shrines. The other being the Outer Shrine (see below). Both shrines are the most sacred of all Shinto shrines in Japan (over 100,000 in total). The two Ise Shrines are separated by about 4 km. The Inner Shrine is roughly 2,000 years old. The Outer Shrine is about 1,500 years old. Both of these shrines, however, are completely rebuilt every 20 years, which makes them unique. Both shrines are Japanese in the sense that they are structures with zero influence from architectural styles outside of Japan. The Inner Shrine is home to Shinto's most venerated deity, Amaterasu Omikami (the Sun Goddess). Visitors are only allowed to view the exterior of the main shrine buildings and photography is strictly forbidden. The approach (remember in ancient times there were no cars, so pilgrims walked to the Inner Shrine) to the Inner Shrine is called Oharaimachi. Oharaimachi is almost 1 km in length and lined with old Japanese buildings that are home to shops and restaurants, which have been serving Shinto pilgrims for centuries.

Ise Jingu Outer Shrine: Ise Grand Shrine's Outer Shrine (about 4 km south of the Inner Shrine) is home to Toyouke Omikami, the Shinto god of food, housing and clothing. Traditionally, the Outer Shrine is visited before the Inner Shrine. The Outer Shrine is also rebuilt every 20 years.

Mie Prefecture's Mikimoto Pearl Island: Mikimoto Pearl Island functions as a museum that celebrates Mikimoto Kokichi, who "invented" pearl cultivation in Japan. Mikimoto Kokichi was born in Mie's Toba City. He opened the first Mikimoto pearl store, now a global name for pearls, in 1899. Visitors to Mikimoto Pearl Island can see ama (female divers) dive for pearls in an hourly show.

Ago Bay: Mie's Ago Bay, at the southern tip of the Shima Penninsula, is full of islands known for their rugged coastlines. The bay is home to most of Japan's pearl cultivation industry. Visitors can tour the bay on cruise boats including a pirate ship. Views of the entire bay can be seen from the Yokoyama Observation Deck on the upper slopes of Mount Yokoyama.

Toba Aquarium: The Toba Aquarium is located on the shore opposite Mikimoto Pearl Island. The aquarium, one of the largest in Japan, is divided into 12 zones. Visitors can see all kinds of fish, reptiles, and amphibians here, and also sea lions, seals, and otters. The Toba Aquarium is the only aquarium in Japan that has a captive dugong marine mammal.

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