Follow the ancient pilgrim trails of the Kumano Kodo
Holidays in the Shima Peninsula take you to a largely undiscovered paradise. With a long, beautiful coastline and many designated national parks, the Mie Prefecture offers bucolic surroundings. Here you’ll find Shinto shrines, ancient pilgrim trails, hot springs and the enigmatic beauty of the Bay of Pearls.
To the south of the Ise Plains, in the far east of the Mie prefecture lies the Shima Peninsula. Tours here will reveal an area renowned for its natural beauty and introduce you to the mysteries of the Shinto religion. Dating back to the 3rd century, Ise Jingu is Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine. It’s also its most impressive. It was built according to the dictates of shinmei-zukuri, an architectural style of achingly beautiful simplicity.
Further south the rolling hills and ancient woodlands of Ise-Shima National Park are a hot spring sanctuary with views over the deep blue waters and islands of Ago Bay. Here the Bay of Pearls is famed for pearl cultivation and as one of the last remaining homes of the Ama female freedivers.