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
Toba Aquarium
4.4aquarium
Major aquarium paired with Mikimoto Pearl Island and Pearl Museum for family-friendly Mie daytrip entertainment.
Suzuka Circuit
4.5entertainment
Legendary race track in Mie hosting Formula 1 and world-class auto racing events throughout the season.
Futami Okitama Shrine
4.4shrine
Coastal shrine near the romantic wedded rocks with gardens and architecture at nearby Hinjitsukan villa.
Nakanoiso View Point
4.4viewpoint
Sunsets seen from the viewpoint on the small island of Nakanoiso are spectacular as the sun sinks over the mountains, coloring the inlet orange and turning the sky purple.
Matsusaka Wadakin
4.4restaurant
Sukiyaki since 1878 using house-raised Matsusaka beef, served in private tatami rooms.
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.
Sakatejima Island
4.6nature
Sakatejima is the closest of Toba’s four inhabited islands.