The Ise-Shima region in Mie Prefecture is home to some of Japan’s most important spiritual sites, the Ise-Shima National Park, coastal scenery, beaches, and excellent seafood. From Kyoto, the easiest rail route is usually by Kintetsu Railway, which runs limited express services toward the region.
The two cities most useful for first-time visitors are Ise, for Ise Jingu and nearby historic streets, and Toba, for cruises, pearl culture, and coastal museums.
Iseshi Station
There are three major Kintetsu stations serving Ise city: Iseshi Station, Ujiyamada Station, and Isuzugawa Station. Choose the station closest to your hotel or first sightseeing stop, as Ise’s main shrine areas are spread across the city. Toba is served by Toba Station, but many sights in both Ise and Toba require local buses. If you plan to use buses several times, consider the Ise-Toba Michikusa Kippu: the 1-day pass costs 1,300 yen for adults and 650 yen for children, while the 2-day pass costs 1,900 yen for adults and 950 yen for children. There is also a wider 2-day version for the broader Ise, Toba, Shima, and Minami-Ise area.
Catching a local bus at Ujiyamada Station in Ise
The Main Attractions
The entrance to the main building at Ise Jingu’s Naiku. Photography of the building itself is forbidden
Ise Grand Shrine
Ise Jingu, also known as Ise Grand Shrine, is the most important shrine of the Japanese Shinto religion and a major center of pilgrimage. Dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, the shrine’s history is said to date back 2,000 years. In a continual ritual of renewal, the shrine’s wooden buildings are dismantled every 20 years and rebuilt with fresh timber according to ancient architectural rules. Though referred to collectively as Ise Jingu, there are two main shrine complexes in separate parts of Ise: the Outer Shrine or Geku, and the Inner Shrine or Naiku.
A sub-shrine of the Naiku
Confusingly, the Outer Shrine is closer to the city center, while the Inner Shrine is on the city outskirts. Both shrine complexes are set in large, old forests and are free to enter during daylight hours. The Geku is a 7-minute walk from Iseshi Station or a 10-minute walk from Ujiyamada Station. The Naiku is a short bus ride from Isuzugawa Station and is also served by buses from Ise’s other main stations. For single bus fares, check the current Mie Kotsu route and fare search before travel; for repeated bus rides, the Ise-Toba Michikusa Kippu is often simpler.
Okage Yokocho
Okage Yokocho
Close to the Naiku of Ise Jingu, Okage Yokocho is a lively district of historic-style buildings inspired by the Edo and Meiji eras. Here you can find galleries, craft shops, souvenir stores, and restaurants serving local food, regional craft beers, and local sake. Probably the most famous local dish is Ise udon: thick noodles served with chopped green onions and a rich soy-based black sauce. Tekone-zushi is another regional specialty: maguro tuna marinated in soy sauce and served on vinegared rice.
A typical lunchtime set meal of Ise udon and tekone-zushi at Okage Yokocho
Meoto Iwa
Another major sacred site in this region is Meoto Iwa, or the “Married Couple Rocks”. These two rocks in the sea off the coast of Futami represent the male and female gods who created Japan. To symbolize their marriage they are bound together with a sacred rope, and there is a shrine on the shore before them where couples come to pray for a strong relationship.
Meoto Iwa
To get there by bus from Toba, take a bus from Toba Bus Center, just outside Toba Station, to the Meoto Iwa Higashiguchi / Ise Sea Paradise-mae bus stop. The ride takes about 12 minutes. If you are also visiting Ise or other bus-served sights, compare the single fare with the Ise-Toba Michikusa Kippu.
Toba Bay Cruises
Just one of the colorful cruise boats on Toba Bay
A variety of colorful cruise boats tour scenic Toba Bay, which is dotted with green islands. Shima Marine Leisure’s Dolphin Island & Toba Bay Cruise calls at Dolphin Island, and passengers can board from either Toba Marine Terminal or the Pearl Island & Toba Aquarium Pick Up/Drop Off Dock. Both boarding points are about 5 to 10 minutes on foot from Kintetsu and JR Toba Station.
Ama Pearl Divers at Mikimoto Pearl Island
Ama pearl divers at Mikimoto Pearl Island
Mikimoto Pearl Island is the birthplace of Japan’s cultured pearl industry. There is a pearl museum, a memorial hall dedicated to Kokichi Mikimoto, and daily demonstrations by ama female divers, who traditionally dived without air tanks or scuba equipment. Mikimoto Pearl Island is about a 5-minute walk from Kintetsu and JR Toba Station.
The Toba Sea-Folk Museum
A display of antique wooden boats in Toba Sea-Folk Museum
The Toba Sea-Folk Museum is a large museum with exhibits related to the history, culture, and traditions of the region’s coastal people. It houses displays on the fishing and diving traditions of Toba, local sea festivals, and the marine environment. There is also a dramatic collection of 80 wooden boats from around Japan, including nationally designated Important Tangible Folk Cultural Properties. To get there, take the Kamome Bus from JR/Kintetsu Toba Station and get off at Umi no Hakubutsukan-mae. The bus ride takes about 35 minutes.
The award-winning museum buildings were designed by Hiroshi Naito
Traveling to Ise-Shima on Kintetsu Railways
A variety of limited express services run between Kintetsu Kyoto Station and stations in Ise and Toba. For a direct trip, take a limited express service bound for Kashikojima. The full fare to Iseshi Station is 4,070 yen, made up of a 2,430 yen ordinary fare and a 1,640 yen limited express charge, and the journey takes around two hours. To Toba Station the full fare is 4,380 yen, made up of a 2,740 yen ordinary fare and a 1,640 yen limited express charge, and the journey takes around two hours and 15 minutes.
Kintetsu limited express seats are reserved. Limited express e-tickets can be purchased online from 10:30 one month before the boarding date, but remember that Kintetsu’s online limited express service sells the limited express ticket only; you still need a basic fare ticket as well. Use the official Kintetsu Railway English language Route and Fare Finder to find the best train and current fare for your journey.
A Limited Express Ise-Shima Liner at Kintetsu Kyoto Station
The Shimakaze Premium Express
The Shimakaze Premium Express is a luxury sightseeing train that runs between Kyoto and destinations in the Ise-Shima region. This train has premium seats, large windows, a cafe car, Japanese-style private rooms, and salon seats. Because Shimakaze requires the ordinary fare, the limited express charge, and a Shimakaze special vehicle charge, the total fare is higher than on a regular limited express. The full fare is 5,120 yen to Iseshi Station and 5,430 yen to Toba Station. Private rooms require an additional room ticket.
The Shimakaze at Toba Station
Discount tickets
Kintetsu Railway is a private railway company, so it is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. However, Kintetsu has discount tickets aimed at overseas visitors that can cover Kyoto, Ise-Shima, and other major Kintetsu areas such as Nagoya, Osaka, and Nara. The KINTETSU RAIL PASS 5day costs 4,900 yen for adults and 2,450 yen for children. The KINTETSU RAIL PASS 5day plus costs 6,700 yen for adults and 3,350 yen for children. Both are five-consecutive-day digital tickets covering all Kintetsu lines and the Iga Tetsudo Line, and the 5day plus also covers designated Nara Kotsu, Mie Kotsu, and Toba City Kamome bus zones, including the Ise-Shima area. These passes do not by themselves allow you to board limited express trains, so you must buy a limited express ticket separately.
On board the Limited Express Ise-Shima Liner bound for Ise!
Another option is the Ise Jingu Sanpai Kippu, or Ise Shrine Pilgrimage Ticket. From Kansai-area starting points such as Kyoto, this ticket costs 7,600 yen for adults and 3,800 yen for children, and is valid for three days from the chosen start date. It includes round-trip Kintetsu travel between your starting area and the Matsusaka-Kashikojima free area, limited express exchange coupons for the outward and return journeys, two additional limited express exchange coupons within the free area, unlimited Kintetsu travel within the Matsusaka-Kashikojima free area, and unlimited Mie Kotsu buses in designated Ise, Futami, and Asama sections. It also includes a one-way Pearl Shuttle coupon by advance reservation. This is not a full all-routes Toba bus pass, so check the designated sections before planning your day. You will also need to pay the Shimakaze special vehicle charge if you want to use the luxury Shimakaze Premium Express. Online details about this ticket are only available in Japanese.
Traveling to Ise-Shima on Japan Railways
If you wish to use the Japan Rail Pass to travel between Kyoto and the Ise-Shima region, the usual route is to take a shinkansen to Nagoya Station and then transfer to the Rapid Mie service for Iseshi and Toba Stations. Hikari and Kodama shinkansen services are covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Nozomi services are not covered by the pass alone, but pass holders can use them by buying the special Nozomi/Mizuho ticket before boarding. For the Kyoto-Nagoya section this add-on ticket costs 2,530 yen for adults. A Hikari shinkansen will get you from Kyoto to Nagoya in about 36 to 53 minutes.
A shinkansen train approaching Kyoto Station
You should also know that the Rapid Mie is not completely free for Japan Rail Pass holders, because part of its journey uses the private Ise Railway line between Kawarada and Tsu. If you have a Japan Rail Pass you will still need to pay a small surcharge of 520 yen for this section. The Rapid Mie from Nagoya will get you to Iseshi Station in around 1 hour and 38 minutes and to Toba Station in around 2 hours and 1 minute. For further details, please see our articles on the Tokaido Shinkansen and the Rapid Mie.
The Rapid Mie train at Nagoya Station
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 07-Jul-2026.
