Mie — Home to spectacular natural scenery, the sacred Ise Jingu Shrine, and various top-quality Japanese delicacies
Mie Prefecture is located on Japan’s Pacific Ocean side, roughly in the middle of the Japanese archipelago. The coastal area is broadly divided into two separate regions: Ise Bay, with white sand and green pine beaches, and Kumanonada, a unique rias coastline with widely varying landscapes. Described as Umashikuni, the “Land of Beauty,” in the Nihon-Shoki—one of Japan’s oldest historical chronicles—Mie (formerly known as Ise Province) offers some truly magnificent sights. Mie’s rich natural environment gives rise to beautiful scenery, with more than 35% of the prefecture covered by natural parks. From the mountains to the sea, Mie also boasts a variety of gastronomic delights, such as Japanese spiny lobsters and Matsusaka beef. Mikimoto pearls—the world’s first successfully cultured pearls—also originated in Mie.
Mie Prefecture is perhaps most famously known as the home of Ise Jingu Shrine, which has a history that stretches back some 2,000 years. Considered the largest of the roughly 80,000 shrines in Japan, Ise Jingu Shrine is Japan’s most prominent “power spot,” with visitors coming from all over the country year-round. Ise Jingu Shrine consists of 125 shrines, including Kotaijingu (Naiku)—the Imperial Grand Shrine (Inner Shrine), dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the ancestral deity of the Imperial Family and general deity of the Japanese people—and Toyo’ukedaijingu (Geku), the Toyouke Grand Shrine (Outer Shrine), dedicated to Toyo’uke-no-Omikami, the guardian deity of food and industry. With the Kumano Kodo’s registration as a World Heritage site in 2004 as a pilgrimage route closely tied to worshipping nature, Mie’s Iseji—which connects Ise Jingu Shrine and the Kumano Sanzan (three grand shrines of Kumano, including Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine, and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine)—became a registered asset. This route remains a popular sightseeing course, offering visitors the chance to enjoy a variety of landscapes.
In addition to its beautiful natural environment and deep history, Mie is also home to many theme parks geared toward families. These tourist destinations, which can be enjoyed by both children and adults, include Nagashima Spa Land, with various popular attractions, including a Guinness-certified roller coaster; the Suzuka Circuit, featuring an amusement park and hotel near an international racing course that sees several major races throughout the year; Toba Aquarium, which has the most aquarium animals in Japan; and Shima Spain Village, a popular resort complex designed to resemble a Spanish townscape.
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Mie Prefecture is located on Japan’s Pacific Ocean side, roughly in the middle of the Japanese archipelago. The coastal area is broadly divided into two separate regions: Ise Bay, with white sand and green pine beaches, and Kumanonada, a unique rias coastline with widely varying landscapes. Described as Umashikuni, the “Land of Beauty,” in the Nihon-Shoki—one of Japan’s oldest historical chronicles—Mie (formerly known as Ise Province) offers some truly magnificent sights. Mie’s rich natural environment gives rise to beautiful scenery, with more than 35% of the prefecture covered by natural parks. From the mountains to the sea, Mie also boasts a variety of gastronomic delights, such as Japanese spiny lobsters and Matsusaka beef. Mikimoto pearls—the world’s first successfully cultured pearls—also originated in Mie.
Mie Prefecture is perhaps most famously known as the home of Ise Jingu Shrine, which has a history that stretches back some 2,000 years. Considered the largest of the roughly 80,000 shrines in Japan, Ise Jingu Shrine is Japan’s most prominent “power spot,” with visitors coming from all over the country year-round. Ise Jingu Shrine consists of 125 shrines, including Kotaijingu (Naiku)—the Imperial Grand Shrine (Inner Shrine), dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, the ancestral deity of the Imperial Family and general deity of the Japanese people—and Toyo’ukedaijingu (Geku), the Toyouke Grand Shrine (Outer Shrine), dedicated to Toyo’uke-no-Omikami, the guardian deity of food and industry. With the Kumano Kodo’s registration as a World Heritage site in 2004 as a pilgrimage route closely tied to worshipping nature, Mie’s Iseji—which connects Ise Jingu Shrine and the Kumano Sanzan (three grand shrines of Kumano, including Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine, Kumano Hayatama Taisha Shrine, and Kumano Nachi Taisha Shrine)—became a registered asset. This route remains a popular sightseeing course, offering visitors the chance to enjoy a variety of landscapes.
In addition to its beautiful natural environment and deep history, Mie is also home to many theme parks geared toward families. These tourist destinations, which can be enjoyed by both children and adults, include Nagashima Spa Land, with various popular attractions, including a Guinness-certified roller coaster; the Suzuka Circuit, featuring an amusement park and hotel near an international racing course that sees several major races throughout the year; Toba Aquarium, which has the most aquarium animals in Japan; and Shima Spain Village, a popular resort complex designed to resemble a Spanish townscape.
