Mie attractions: Ise Jingu, Toba and Iga
Compare Outer and Inner Shrine access for Ise Jingu worship. See marine life at Toba Aquarium, or pearls and ama demonstrations at Mikimoto Pearl Island. Choose Futami Okitama Shrine for a coastal walk, or Iga-ryu Ninja Museum for the ninja house and exhibitions. Futami and Iga lie in different directions, so check each return journey. Check coastal weather and ninja show dates too.
Attraction admission, hours and access
Ise Jingu Outer Shrine
Geku (Toyouke-daijingu)豊受大神宮（外宮）
Walk about five minutes from Iseshi Station’s JR-side exit to the Outer Shrine entrance. Afterwards, choose a meal along the approach or near the station. This suits an arrival day that starts with worship. Visiting the Outer Shrine first is a longstanding custom rather than a compulsory order.
- AdmissionOrdinary worship is free. Museum admission, prayer services and shrine items cost extra.
- Opening hoursWorship hours are 05:00–17:00 in October–December, 05:00–18:00 in January–April and September, and 05:00–19:00 in May–August. The New Year period has special hours.
- Getting thereWalk about five minutes from Iseshi Station’s JR-side exit to the entrance, then about ten minutes more to the main sanctuary. Worship, visits to other subsidiary sanctuaries and the return walk take extra time.
- Additional visiting conditionsOrdinary worship hours differ from prayer reception and museum hours. Check that year’s worship notices for the New Year period.
Ise City Tourism Association FAQIse Jingu Inner and Outer Shrine seasonal worship hoursOfficial FAQShrine transport
Ise Jingu Inner Shrine
Naiku (Kotaijingu)皇大神宮（内宮）
Cross Ujibashi and follow wooded paths through the worship area. It is separate from the Outer Shrine, so allow time for the bus journey.
- AdmissionOrdinary worship is free. The adult bus fare between Iseshi Station and Naiku-mae is transport rather than admission: JPY 520 one way or JPY 1,040 return for the same section.
- Opening hoursWorship hours are 05:00–17:00 in October–December, 05:00–18:00 in January–April and September, and 05:00–19:00 in May–August. Special hours apply during New Year, and events may restrict parts of the approach.
- Getting thereFrom Iseshi Station stand 10, take a Route 51 or 55 bus bound for Naiku-mae and alight there. Walk about 20 minutes one way from Ujibashi to the main sanctuary. Worship, the return walk and bus waiting take extra time. For the return, check Iseshi Station-bound services at Naiku-mae stand 2.
- Additional visiting conditionsCheck return bus times for your date and approach restrictions on event days.
Ise City Tourism Association FAQShrine transportOfficial FAQDeparting from Iseshi StationReturn journeyIse Jingu Inner and Outer Shrine seasonal worship hours
Toba Aquarium
鳥羽水族館
Watch the dugong swimming and see marine life from Ise-Shima’s waters at Toba Aquarium. If rain prevents a coastal walk, you can switch to indoor tank displays.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 2,800 for adults, JPY 1,600 for primary and junior high school pupils, and JPY 800 for preschool children aged three and above.
- Opening hoursUsual hours are 09:30–17:00, with last admission at 16:00. The official guide lists year-round opening. Specified peak periods use 09:00–17:30, with last admission at 16:30. Check extended-hour dates for your visit.
- Getting thereWalk about ten minutes from JR or Kintetsu Toba Station. If arriving by Kintetsu, follow the aquarium signs towards Exit 1 outside the gates. Allow extra time for admission queues.
- Additional visiting conditionsIf arriving late in Toba, leave enough time to walk to the aquarium before last admission. If moving the visit to the next morning, also adjust Pearl Island and your Toba Station departure.
Toba Aquarium admissionToba Aquarium hours and accessOpen the official aquarium guideToba Station exitsToba Aquarium exhibition areas, dugong and Ise-Shima waters
Mikimoto Pearl Island
ミキモト真珠島
At Mikimoto Pearl Island, explore how pearls are cultivated and made into jewellery. See the museum displays and, if timing allows, an ama diver demonstration at sea. Adult admission is JPY 1,650 and includes the demonstration. Enter in time for a scheduled session on your visit date.
- AdmissionAdult admission costs JPY 1,650 and includes the Pearl Museum, memorial hall and ama demonstration. This is separate from aquarium-only admission.
- Opening hoursHours are 09:00–17:30 until 12 October 2026 and 09:00–17:00 from 13 October to 26 November. Ticket sales end 60 minutes before closing. Closed for three days from the second Tuesday in December each year; check the calendar for your visit date.
- Getting thereWalk about five minutes from JR or Kintetsu Toba Station to Pearl Island. Use the facility’s access map to find the entrance.
- Additional visiting conditionsEnter in time for the day’s scheduled session if you want to see an ama demonstration. The museum displays pearl cultivation and jewellery.
Facility access guideOfficial admission and opening calendarPearl Museum cultivation and jewellery displaysMikimoto Pearl Island ama demonstration schedule
Futami Okitama Shrine and Meoto Iwa
Futami Okitama Shrine · Meoto Iwa二見興玉神社 · 夫婦岩
Visit Futami Okitama Shrine to see the Meoto Iwa rocks standing in the sea and walk along the coast. Add it for a coastal walk during an Ise–Toba trip.
- AdmissionShrine worship is free. Nearby aquarium admission and shopping cost extra.
- Opening hoursPlan the coast walk in daylight. The shrine office in front of the worship hall opens 07:00–16:45, or 07:00–16:00 from November to the end of February. Office hours differ from coastal walking access. Check event and weather notices for your date too.
- Getting thereWalk about 15 minutes from Futaminoura Station on the JR Sangu Line. By bus, alight at Meotoiwa Higashiguchi and walk about five minutes.
- Additional visiting conditionsSunrise does not appear in the same position between the rocks throughout the year. This itinerary uses a daytime coast walk. Sunrise visits or shrine office visits after dark need separate date-specific checks.
Official shrine guideOfficial Mie tourism guideShrine office hours in front of the worship hall
Iga-ryu Ninja Museum
Ninja Museum of Igaryu伊賀流忍者博物館
The ninja house has hidden doors and devices for concealment. Watch demonstrations explaining them, then examine ninja tools such as shuriken in the exhibition halls. Admission for senior high school students and older visitors is JPY 1,000. To see the separate ninja-tool demonstration show, check show dates. It costs an extra JPY 600 and does not run every day.
- AdmissionAdmission costs JPY 1,000 for senior high school students and older visitors, and JPY 700 for children aged four through junior high school. The show costs an additional JPY 600.
- Opening hoursHours are 10:00–16:00 on weekdays, with admission reception until 15:30, and 10:00–16:30 on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, with reception until 16:00. Closed from 29 December to 1 January and on temporary closure days.
- Getting thereChange from Kintetsu to the Iga Railway at Iga-Kambe and alight at Uenoshi. The official walk to the museum in Ueno Park takes about ten minutes. Check the local map and allow extra time for ticket purchase and reception queues.
- Additional visiting conditionsNinja house device demonstrations differ from the separate paid show. The show costs JPY 600 and has non-performance days. Check official notices for temporary closures and show dates before your visit.
Ninja museum transportCurrent fees and noticesOfficial ninja museum local map: about ten minutes on foot from Uenoshi StationOfficial Iga-ryu Ninja Museum guide
Frequently asked questions
Must I visit the Outer Shrine first?
Visiting the Outer Shrine first is a longstanding custom. It is not compulsory, so choose an order that suits your preferred visits and route.
Does the course reach the Inner Shrine on foot from Iseshi Station?
No. Take a bus from Iseshi Station to the Inner Shrine. The Outer Shrine entrance is about five minutes away on foot, but the Inner Shrine is in a different area. The official fare search on 8 October 2026 gave adult Iseshi Station–Naiku-mae fares of JPY 520 one way or JPY 1,040 return; worship is free. Recheck outward and return services for other dates.
Does ninja museum admission include the show?
No. Admission for senior high school students and older visitors is JPY 1,000. The show costs an additional JPY 600 and does not run every day.
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Shrine transport ·
- Ninja museum transport ·
- Toba Station exits ·
- Ise City Tourism Association FAQ ·
- Ise Jingu Inner and Outer Shrine seasonal worship hours ·
- Official FAQ ·
- Toba Aquarium admission ·
- Toba Aquarium hours and access ·
- Open the official aquarium guide ·
- Facility access guide ·
- Official admission and opening calendar ·
- Official shrine guide ·
- Official Mie tourism guide ·
- Current fees and notices ·
- Departing from Iseshi Station ·
- Return journey ·
- Official Iga-ryu Ninja Museum guide ·
- Official ninja museum local map: about ten minutes on foot from Uenoshi Station ·
- Toba Aquarium exhibition areas, dugong and Ise-Shima waters ·
- Pearl Museum cultivation and jewellery displays ·
- Mikimoto Pearl Island ama demonstration schedule ·
- Shrine office hours in front of the worship hall ·