Ise Grand Shrine is the spiritual center of Shinto, rebuilt every 20 years for over a millennium. The inner shrine sits deep in a cryptomeria forest, hushed and immense. Oharai-machi and Okage Yokocho, the streets leading to the shrine, are lined with mochi shops, teahouses, and Ise udon stalls.
What Ise is known for
Top-rated in Ise
Suzuka Circuit
4.5entertainment
Legendary race track in Mie hosting Formula 1 and world-class auto racing events throughout the season.
Sakatejima Island
4.6nature
Sakatejima is the closest of Toba’s four inhabited islands.
Toba Aquarium
4.4aquarium
Major aquarium paired with Mikimoto Pearl Island and Pearl Museum for family-friendly Mie daytrip entertainment.
Futami Okitama Shrine
4.4shrine
Coastal shrine near the romantic wedded rocks with gardens and architecture at nearby Hinjitsukan villa.
Matsusaka Wadakin
4.4restaurant
Sukiyaki since 1878 using house-raised Matsusaka beef, served in private tatami rooms.
Oharai-machi & Okage Yokocho
4.4restaurant
Edo-era pilgrim street near Ise Shrine serving akafuku mochi and Ise udon since 1707.
Sengukan Museum
4.5museum
Museum documenting Ise Grand Shrine's ceremonial rebuilding every two decades with cypress wood.
Hananoiwaya-jinja Shrine
4.5shrine
Remote shrine requiring effort to reach, rewarding visitors with mysterious depths of Japanese history and culture.