Mie Coast & Pearls: Toba Aquarium, Mikimoto Pearl Island & Cape Daio

Toba and Shima, on the Ise-Shima coast of Mie Prefecture, are where you go after Ise Grand Shrine for sea views, pearls and seafood: Toba Aquarium, Mikimoto Pearl Island and the windswept Cape Daio are the three highlights. The coastline here is a maze of bays and wooded islands, protected as Ise-Shima National Park, and it has been home for centuries to ama, the women free divers who gather shellfish and seaweed. Toba is only about 15 minutes by train from Ise, so it is easy to combine with a shrine visit, and the area is famous across Japan for spiny lobster, abalone and oysters. This guide covers the three best stops for first-time visitors, how to get around the coast, and where to stay in Toba.

1. Toba Aquarium

Toba Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in Japan, with about 1,200 species, and it is especially known for its dugong, a gentle sea cow that very few aquariums in the world keep. There is no fixed route, so you can wander freely through 12 zones covering everything from coral reefs and the Ise-Shima coast to Arctic sea life and Amazon rivers, with seals, sea lions and otters along the way. Daily feeding times and a sea lion show make it a good half-day for families. The aquarium is open 9:30 to 17:00 and adult admission is 2,800 yen. It is about a 10-minute walk from Toba Station along the waterfront, and Mikimoto Pearl Island is right next door, so you can easily visit both in one morning. Come on a weekday if you can, as weekends and Japanese school holidays get busy.

2. Mikimoto Pearl Island and Toba Bay

Mikimoto Pearl Island is a small island in Toba Bay, linked to the shore by a footbridge, where Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in creating the world’s first cultured pearls in 1893. Today it is a museum island: the Pearl Museum explains how pearls are grown and shows remarkable jewelry and pearl craftwork, and a memorial hall tells Mikimoto’s story. The highlight for many visitors is the ama diver demonstration, held roughly every hour, when divers in traditional white outfits dive from a boat in the bay, just as they once did to tend the oyster beds. The island opens at about 9:00 and closes around 17:00; check the official site for the current admission fee before you go. Afterward, consider a sightseeing cruise around Toba Bay’s islands, or a ferry across the mouth of Ise Bay to the Irago Peninsula.

3. Cape Daio and Daiozaki Lighthouse

At the southern tip of the Shima Peninsula, Cape Daio juts into the Pacific with rugged cliffs and a white lighthouse that you can climb for sweeping views of the ocean and the rocky coast. Daiozaki Lighthouse is open from 9:00 to 16:00 (until 16:30 on weekends from March to October) and entry is 300 yen. The path from the bus stop leads through a small fishing village lined with stalls selling dried fish, grilled shellfish and squid, so come hungry. The village is also known as a painters’ town, and you will often see artists sketching the harbor. To get there, take the train to Ugata Station and then a bus of about 20 minutes, followed by a 10-minute walk. With a car, you can continue to the Yokoyama Observatory, about 140 meters above Ago Bay, for the classic view of its pearl-raft-dotted islands.

Where to Stay Near Toba

Where to stay: Toba

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Toba is the most practical base on the Ise-Shima coast. It has the widest choice of hotels, many with sea views and hot spring baths, and it sits on both the Kintetsu and JR lines, 15 minutes from Ise and around 30 to 45 minutes from Kashikojima. Many hotels in Toba run free shuttles from Toba Station and serve dinners built around local seafood.

Luxury

Toba International Hotel sits on a hill above Toba Bay with ocean views from its two restaurants, café and bar. Rooms are elegantly decorated, some with sea views, and there is a spa offering treatments. A shuttle ride of about four minutes connects the hotel with Toba Station.

Mid-Range

Toba Seaside Hotel is a big resort hotel on the bay with a hot spring bath, a private beach area and buffet breakfasts and dinners. It is about 700 meters from Toba Aquarium and offers a free shuttle and free parking, which makes it an easy choice for families.

Budget-Friendly

Wisterian Life Club Toba offers spacious rooms with sea views and balconies at a reasonable price, along with a garden, a lounge and free parking. It is a comfortable pick for travelers with a car who want room to spread out without paying resort prices.

Quick Tips for Visiting

• Visit Toba Aquarium and Mikimoto Pearl Island on the same morning; they are next to each other near Toba Station.
• Try local seafood such as spiny lobster, abalone and oysters, which are famous along the Ise-Shima coast.
• Consider a rental car: buses to Cape Daio and the observatories run infrequently.
• For a scenic drive, the Ise-Shima Skyline toll road climbs to an observatory with a free foot bath on Mount Asama.
• Combine Toba with Ise Grand Shrine, only about 15 minutes away by train.

Getting there by train: Toba is about 15 minutes from Iseshi Station by JR or Kintetsu. From Nagoya, Kintetsu limited expresses reach Toba directly, and the luxury Shimakaze sightseeing train runs from Osaka-Namba, Kyoto and Nagoya to Kashikojima on most days (it does not run every day, so check the schedule). JR Pass holders can take the JR Rapid Mie from Nagoya but must pay a small fare on board for the Ise Railway section. Read our guide to riding trains in Japan, learn how to ride the Shinkansen to Nagoya, and check whether the JR Pass is worth it for your route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Toba Aquarium worth visiting?

Yes. It is one of the largest aquariums in Japan, with about 1,200 species and a rare dugong. It is open 9:30 to 17:00 and adult admission is 2,800 yen.

Can you see ama divers at Mikimoto Pearl Island?

Yes. Ama divers in traditional white outfits give demonstrations in the bay roughly every hour during opening hours.

How do you get to Cape Daio?

Take the train to Ugata Station, then a bus of about 20 minutes and a 10-minute walk. The lighthouse costs 300 yen to enter.

How far is Toba from Ise?

Toba is about 15 minutes from Iseshi Station by JR or Kintetsu train, so it is easy to combine with Ise Grand Shrine.