Mie



Mie Prefecture (三重県 Mie-ken) is in the western Kansai region of the main Japanese island Honshu.

Tourist Information Site
Kanko Mie is the prefecture's official Japanese-only guide site with integrated machine translation.

Cities

 * &mdash; The prefectural capital with the shortest name possible (a one-stroke letter つ in hiragana).
 * &mdash; An industrial city and the most urban city.
 * &mdash; The home of Japan's most (in)famous ninja clan.
 * &mdash; Site of Japan's holiest shrine.
 * &mdash; An ancient mountain town in the south with breathtaking scenery.
 * &mdash; A city between Tsu and Ise. Famous throughout Japan for its beef.
 * &mdash; Famous for pearl cultivation.
 * &mdash; Known for its motor sports events.
 * &mdash; Popular holiday spot near Ise.
 * &mdash; Small city having the best in nature.
 * &mdash; A small city next to Nagoya. Easy access to Nagashima Spa Land.

By train
Mie is easily accessible from anywhere in central Japan using the Kintetsu or JR (Japan Rail) train lines. From other parts of Honshu, the shinkansen (bullet train) can quickly though rather expensively get you to Nagoya Station, where you can transfer to either the Kintetsu or JR line into Mie.

By boat
Ferries leave hourly from Nagoya airport (NGO) to Tsu Nagisamachi port and a port in Matsusaka.

See



 * Ise Shrine is the holiest shrine in Japan and home to the sun goddess Amaterasu. (Ise)
 * Learn about the history of ninja in one of the former ninja homelands (Iga)
 * Mikimoto Pearl Island (Toba)
 * Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Kii Mountain Pilgrimage Route (Kumano)
 * Hike the Akame 48 Waterfalls to see just how many waterfalls there really are (Nabari)
 * Explore a well-preserved former Tokaido Road post town (Kameyama)
 * Watch the sunrise over Meoto Iwa (Ise)

Eat
Matsusaka is known for its delicious, massaged, beer-fed beef. According to locals, it's every bit as good as the more internationally famous Kobe product.

Drink
Hokosugi (鉾杉) sake, brewed near Ise, is very tasty and reasonably priced.