Toba (Mie Prefecture)

Mie Prefecture: Toba

Welcome to the home of Ama!

Located in Ise-Shima National Park, the sea and islands in Toba are deeply related to local lifestyles. In this city, fisherman and Ama (Japanese traditional woman diver) are blessed with abundant sea resources and have been existing for thousands of years.

Introduction of the area

Lies in the coastal area of Mie Prefecture, Toba is widely known for its enchanting scenery of beautiful scattered islands and unique coastal topography where the sea is located side by side with mountainous area. Facing the Pacific Ocean, local peoples’ lifestyle in Toba is strongly influenced by the harmony of marine culture, which made this area as the home for hundreds of Ama, the Japanese traditional divers. Toba is also popular for its pearls since Kokichi Mikimoto invented the method of pearl’s culture in this city in 1893.

Get travel experiences and interesting stories during your trip in Toba!

Ama Hut Experience

Catch a glimpse of Ama (Japanese traditional divers) culture on this half-day cultural tour. Get a fresh grilled seafood in Ama Hut and hear their stories about their sustainable lifestyle. Don’t miss to visit Ishigami Shrine and shop some souvenir in Ama Village (Osatsu Town).

Explore The Remote Islands

Toba has many remote islands, from inhabited islands to uninhabited islands. These remote islands offer nature lovers to enjoy the greens of the mountain and the wave of the Pacific Ocean. Get to know the unique islander lifestyle that creates an interesting fisherman culture in Toba! This experience will give you a sense of Japanese coastal tradition.

Outdoor Activities

Feel the summer breeze and enjoy the beauty of Toba! Explore the seaweed forest under the sparkling Toba sea and paddle your kayak with our experienced tour guide to discover the hidden gems of Toba. Energetic travelers will definitely enjoy this experience!

Recommended points

Sugesaki Observation Point

Visit this hidden spot in Osatsu Town to get the best view of Pacific Ocean.

Discover “sea-firefies” in night kayak tour

　
In the night, the sea water surface looks like a mirror. On the clear kayak (or glass kayak), you will paddle out fantastic waves. You will see the lights from sea creatures sparkling from the bottom of your kayak. Move slowly and relax. Enjoy the mysterious lights of sea fireflies kiss your imagination.

Seaweed Forest

Toba Sea received rich nutritions from mountains and Pacific Ocean, thus making the sea produce a lot of seaweeds. The seaweed forest under the sea will give you a non-typical beautiful scene to enjoy.

Lifestyle and Culture

Since the islands is located near the sea, the lifestyle and custom of people in Toba are strongly influenced by marine-culture.

Ama

Ama are Japanese traditional woman divers who gather abalone and other sea creatures for their livelihood. They dive in sustainable and traditional way through their unique breathing technique, called isobue.

Fishing Culture

Every island has their own unique fishing technique. In Toba, you can find ippon tsuri (one string traditional fishing technique) that keep the sea resource sustainable.

Food

If you are craving for seafood, Toba will be a great place for you! Well-known as miketsukuni, a special area which supplied the food for the imperial family in Heian Period, Toba will spoil you with fresh seafood and seaweed from its abundant sea. Discover its seasonal seafood, from the legendary Ise Lobster in autumn to abalone in summer. Unveil the traditions and history by tasting the local cuisine, such as akafuku mochi, chirashi zushi, and Ise udon.

Winter Tour!

Let us harvest the seaweed with our local fisherman! On the ship, you will mow the seaweed that is grown carefully by the locals and afterwards you will enjoy harvested seaweed on shabu-shabu lunch with fresh fish that caught by local fisherman and Mekabu rice bowl.

Model Course