Nestled along the rugged coastline of Mie Prefecture, the Ise-Shima region is where Japan’s natural beauty, timeless traditions, and rich cultural heritage come together. Famous for its coastal landscapes, pearl cultivation, and the legendary Ama women divers, the area offers a rare glimpse into both Japan’s living culture and its connection to nature. Yet beyond the history and craftsmanship, Ise-Shima is also a place of adventure – a national park of islands, inlets, and calm blue waters waiting to be explored.
I was invited to explore the region on a three-day trip organized by the Ise-Shima National Park Eco-Tourism Promotion Council and the Ise-Shima Barrierfree Tour Center to experience firsthand what makes this area so special.
Day 1 – History and Heritage by the Sea
I set out for the first day of my trip to Ise-Shima in the morning, leaving Tokyo at around 9am and heading towards Nagoya. From Nagoya there are several train options operated by Kintetsu Railways leading down to the Ise-Shima area from Nagoya. As the trip from Nagoya to Ise-Shima is a bit over an hour on the express trains, I recommend booking a seat in advance which you can do online. I appreciated that when booking the accessible seat there was a confirmation box asking users to acknowledge that they knew they were buying a seat reservation for the accessible seat and that it should be used by those who truly need it – a good compromise of the convenience of buying online, but ensuring the accessible seats were reserved for those who need it. Note that not every express train has an accessible seat, so pay attention when making your plans. The trains with accessible seating have an accessible toilet as well.
Once we arrived around 2:00pm, we were greeted by members of Kaito Yumin Club and the Ise-Shima Barrierfree Tour Center who had prepared a wheelchair accessible van. As we traveled to our first destination, I was taken aback by the beautiful coastline of the Ise-Shima region – far different than Tokyo.
Our first stop was the Osatsu Ama Culture Museum which helped us learn the basics about the famous Ama women divers with a 2000 year history and were known to dive for seafood and were honored with the task of retrieving abalone for shrines and imperial emperors. The tradition is still alive but climate change is impacting their livelihood. The museum is small but has some great exhibits and an accessible toilet (mens’ side).
From there we walked to the nearby Shinmei Shrine, known as Ishigami-san, a Shinto shrine revered by ama divers and widely believed to grant “one wish of a woman.” Despite being a small shrine, it has gained some popularity and has used proceeds from offerings to make the shrine accessible with ramps and an accessible toilet.
We got back in the car and set off to meet some Ama divers – and enjoy a traditional “ama snack”. These “Ama Huts” are set up to help share the heritage, but also support the divers as climate change has been decreasing their catch and livelihood. There are several Ama huts you can visit but the one we visited really stood out for inclusion. Not only did it have a flat entrance to get in, they also invested in a lift-equipped shuttle bus, accessible bathroom, and prayer rooms for Muslim visitors.
The “snack” of dried fish, abalone, and turban shell was grilled on an a charcol fire and seasoned lightly with a bit of soy sauce. One of the Ama was a bit concerned the table was a bit too low for me and quickly went off to find a new one for me. She was 94 years old and had been diving until she was 80! She now works with other retired Ama divers sharing about the history of Ama divers and their daily lives, making the history come to life and the time together even more special. At they end, they performed a dance and encouraged everyone to join in.
We headed off to our hotel to rest up for the next day. The hotel, Miyako Resort Okushima, had a spacious accessible twin room with an amazing view of the islands.
Day 2 – From Flavor to Adventure
One of my original favorite Japanese foods was okonomiyaki. And part of the experience was watching the thinly sliced bonito flakes move around as if they were dancing on the hot savoury dish. So, I was excited to hear that the first stop for day two was to a traditional ibushi-goya (smoking hut) where bonito fish are slowly smoked and dried to make katsuobushi, the flavorful dried bonito flakes used in Japanese cuisine. It was much more than a short guided tour, the owner gave a detailed explanation of the history of katsuobushi, the importance to Japanese cuisine, and also the cultural and religious significance in offerings at shrines.
He then showed us some of the process of drying, smoking, and fermenting the fish followed by the opportunity to make your own flakes by running the dried fish over a plane to cut off incredibly thin flakes. We then got to taste the results on top of freshly steamed rice!
After having our second breakfast and buying some souvenirs, we got back in the wheelchair van and headed to one of the many saltwater inlets of Ise-Shima National Park. Our next stop was kayaking.
The staff at the kayak experience had borrowed a beach wheelchair from the Ise-Shima Barrierfree Tour Center and helped me get from my wheelchair to the beach where a number of kayaks were lined up on the shore of the calm water.
They had prepared a few options for accessibility including a fixed seat with a hard back to a low-profile camping chair fixed to the kayak. The camping chair looked more comfortable, so I went with that and the staff lifted me in. To be sure I was balanced and safe, they added an extra lifejacket to the seat and slowly entered the water, confirming I was OK at every step.
Once I felt comfortable, one of the instructors sat in the seat at the back and did a short spin near the beach. Then the other members of the tour got in their own kayaks and we did a 45 minute tour around the inlet, learning about the geography of the area, and how it tied in to local culture – like the trees that were used in the katsuobushi smoking process. I felt very safe the whole time and my seat at the front gave me a great view of the calm inlet.
After being taken back to my wheelchair via the beach chair, we got back in the van and stopped off to buy some freshly baked bread and head to our next destination. Baguettes and brownies in hand, we used the ramp to go up to the top of the Sky Terrace at Yokoyama Observatory which offers panoramic views of the coastline and scattered islands of Ise-Shima.
From there we descended back down the hill and went to the visitor center to learn about the ecology and environment of the park with hands-on exhibits including a large projector room where you can touch the walls to learn about wildlife, to VR headsets with fly-overs of the area. Both the Sky Terrace and the visitor center had accessible toilets available.
We then headed to Todaya – a ryokan style hotel – for a kaiseki course dinner featuring local produce, and a good night’s rest in an accessible room that kept the feeling of a traditional ryokan, while also being accessible to all guests.
Day 3 – Sacred Spaces and Timeless Spirit
The last day of our trip wrapped everything together as we went to one of Japan’s most sacred sites, Ise Jingu – The Grand Shrine of Ise. I had been a number of years before, but without much background and understanding, so this time was much more special.
We were greeted by an English speaking guide, and two “omotenashi helpers” (“hospitality helpers”) to help with some of the less accessible areas of the shrine. Before heading for the bridge into the grand shrine, I spotted a number of wheelchairs available at the entrance available for guests to use. They had extra large tires adapted for the gravel and some were motorized.
The guide took us deeper and deeper into the wooded shrine until we came to the Kagura Hall. The tour had set up an opportunity to sit in on an offering ceremony in the hall. There were a number of steps up to the hall, and the hospitality helpers helped carry me up in a manual wheelchair. The floor of the hall itself is made of tatami and is sacred, so outside shoes and wheelchairs cannot be used. I was transferred into a small chair and carried to the front. As the chair was a bit small, I was grateful for the belt the helpers provided to secure me to the seat.
During the ceremony, Shinto priests offer prayers while bujyo shrine maidens perform a graceful dance to sacred music. Traditional foods such as katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) are dedicated to the deities as offerings, and afterward, visitors receive a small box containing Ofuda (amulet) and these sacred foods as a symbol of the deities’ blessings.
After being carried back down, we headed to the main shrine which is at the top of a large staircase. The omotenashi helpers once again jumped into action and after transferring into a manual wheelchair, they helped me go up and then back down the long staircase, being sure to check if I felt ok and comfortable frequently. I hadn’t known about this service (which requires a reservation) my first trip, so I am glad I had the opportunity to come again.
On the way out of the shrine, we stopped by one of the accessible toilets and it was great to see that in addition to the multipurpose toilet, they had an extra toilet just for ostomate users, and one for parents with young children.
After saying goodbye to our heroes (the omotenashi helpers), we concluded with a trip down the nearby Okage Yokocho – a charming shopping street designed to look like a traditional town from the Edo and Meiji periods. It’s filled with local eateries, souvenir shops, and traditional crafts where visitors can enjoy the nostalgic atmosphere of old Japan.
Final Thoughts
My time in Ise-Shima reminded me how powerful a mix of natural beauty, culture, and community can be. From the warmth of the Ama divers to the dedication of the local guides, every experience felt personal and full of heart. Much of the region’s strong foundation for accessibility is thanks to the ongoing work of the Ise-Shima Barrierfree Tour Center, whose efforts have helped make inclusive travel here a reality.
And with local partners like Kaito Yumin Club now planning to offer accessible tours in the near future, the opportunities to experience Ise-Shima are only growing. Stay tuned for their upcoming listing on the tours page of Accessible Japan.
Combined with the ingenuity and kindness of local staff, Ise-Shima stands out as a model for accessible tourism in Japan – a place where everyone can experience its beauty and spirit
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