UMIKAZE: Pearl Touring in Shima
Experience the beauty, gorgeousness, and splendor of pure, domestic Akoya pearls in the home of pearl cultivation, Shima.
Grow your own one and only pearl
The best feature of this tour is the opportunity to create a one of a kind pearl pearl unique to you. After the farm tour, visitors will receive guidance from the craftsmen in placing a mantle and nucleus into a pearl oyster. We then cultivate the pearl oyster that you grafted for a year in our beds. If you’re lucky, you may have a pearl unique to you, the only one of its kind in the world.
Make one-and-only pearl just for you
After sorting and processing pearls in our showroom, visitors can make their own one-of-a-kind jewelry, using pearls that we produced.
Culture bed tour
The tour includes observing the culture beds and cruising around Ago bay on a boat used for pearl farming.
Oyster cleaning experience
The experience of removing accretions on the Akoya oysters.
Pearl harvesting experience
You pull a basket of pearl oysters from the culture bed, open the Akoya pearl oyster.
Make one-and-only pearl just for you
We will cultivate your implanted oyster for one year, and produce one-and-only pearl for you. We appreciate your understanding of the fact that it’s a matter of luck whether or not an oyster successfully produces a pearl. We will send you the pearl produced.
*The tour is subject to change without notice due to circumstances of the production schedule, season, and/or weather.
*The pearl oyster that you grafted may not produce a pearl due to its death or the fallout of the nucleus.
Visitors can choose their own pearls and create their own accessories.This is a unique service that only Tanabe Pearl Farm can offer.Visitors can also view and purchase a variety of tax-exempt products with smartphone payments available as well.
About TANABE Pearl Farm
For over 70 years TANABE Pearl Farm has been producing Akoya pearls in Ago Bay, Shima, where pearls were cultivated for the first time in the world by Mr. Kokichi Mikimoto, or "Pearl King."Cultivated along the deeply indented and nature-lush coastline of Ago Bay, the local pearl masters have a reputation for a perfect balance of "nacre" (layers,) luster and shape among pearl buyers worldwide.We are working diligently to preserve this traditional Japanese industry to continue to show the world the beauty, gorgeousness, and greatness of Akoya pearls.
"SASUKE"
Shima, the birthplace of pearls, has a lot to offer.
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Enjoy the perpetually spectacular view of the ocean with different expressions
Shima's greatest attractions, its various seascapes such as Daiozaki Cape with a view of the Pacific Ocean below, the 3-kilometer-long coastline of Ago-no-matsubara, and the golden sunset view of Ago Bay along the “ria coastline," enchant visitors.
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Fresh seafood such as Ise-ebi lobster and abalone are available all year round.
Enjoy fresh seafood caught and brought to local fishing ports all year round, including Ise-ebi lobster, abalones, turban shells, oysters, bonito, sea bream, and puffer fish.In recent years, creative French and Italian cuisine using fresh ingredients has also become popular.
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Feel the ocean breeze and connect with the sea.
Various activities in and around the coast are available such as: Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) rides; kayaking; cycling; diving; golfing, etc.
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Luxury hotel experienced with a view of the ocean
Ise-Shima is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan.It is also famous for hosting the G7 Ise-Shima Summit, and is dotted with many luxury hotels and ryokan (Japanese-style inns) for a once in a lifetime stay.
Shima’s delicious food
Shima has long been known as "Mitsukekoku" (the land of great food).
Amaterasu Omikami, the sovereign deity of Japan, found that Ise-Shima was a beautiful, ideal land blessed with the delicacies of the sea and mountains. This mythology solidifies the land as the eternal home of the deity and the spiritual home of the Japanese people.For 1,500 years, as “the land of great food", they offer the deity local food twice daily, morning and evening.This meal included abalone and other seafood, seasonal vegetables and fruits, sake, and other items that can be considered the starting point of Japanese cuisine.
Shima, the birthplace of pearl cultivation
Akoya pearl cultivation is a traditional Japanese culture with a history of more than 120 years since Kokichi Mikimoto, or the "Pearl King" succeeded for the first time, and the industry that has taken root in this region and must be cherished.
Buyers from around the world seek out Shima pearls because the Akoya pearls are produced in Shima, on the “ria coastline" with numerous islands, large and small, creating stunning brilliance.
Shima, a city of international tourism
The Ise-Shima region has long been an international tourist destination for visitors from around the world.In 2016, the G7 Ise-Shima Summit 2016 was held and visited by then U.S. President Barack Obama and then German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel.Luxury accommodations where you can experience the rich natural sea, the colors of nature, fresh seafood, pearls, and other bounties of the sea, and all that it has to offer. Spend a luxurious time in Shima, an international tourist city.
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Enjoy the spectacular view of the ever-changing expression of the ocean
The sea of Shima is a work of art woven by nature. You are sure to encounter the rugged Pacific Ocean and the calm Ago Bay, both of which offer spectacular views of the sea.The sunset view of Ago Bay, selected as one of the "100 best sunsets in Japan," attracts many photographers, both professional and amateur, from within and outside the prefecture.There are also many spots scattered throughout the area where you can experience the sea of Shima, such as Kokufu Shirahama and Ichigohama beaches where surfers gather, and Jiro-Rokuro Beach where you can enjoy kayaking.
Daiozaki Lighthouse
Daiozaki, where the rough waves of the Sea of Enshu and the Sea of Kumano intersect, has long been feared by sailors. Located at the southeastern tip of the Shima Peninsula, is known as a troublesome spot on the sea.For this reason, a lighthouse was installed in 1927.With the installation of the latest high-performance radar in 2004, the last remaining "light tower guard" in the Tokai region disappeared, but the lighthouse remains a tourist attraction and a beacon of safety on the sea.
Ago Bay
Ago Bay is the center of Ise-Shima National Park and famous for its “ria coastline".More than 60 small islands of various shapes and sizes float in the bay, forming a complex coastline.The views from Mt. Tomoyama, Yokoyama, and the Kashikojima Bridge are well known as photo spots and attract many photographers.It is also famous for pearl cultivation.
Ago-no-matsubara
The pine grove of Ago stretches about 3 km from north to south, with white sandy beaches in an arching pattern.It is known as a spot where people can enjoy marine sports such as swimming and surfing.
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A town where you can enjoy fresh seafood such as Ise-ebi lobsters and abalone all year round
Shima, which has long offered food to the imperial court and Ise shrine, is a treasure trove of fresh, natural seafood.Ise-ebi lobsters, one of the nation's largest catches, abalone carefully collected by ama divers who dive into the sea to gather shellfish, and Matoya oysters, which are treated to reduce bacteria and are popular among fresh seafood lovers, all of these marine products grown in the Shima Sea are certified as Mie brands.
Fresh Seafood
Ise-ebi lobsters
Ise-ebi lobsters are a symbol of Shima. It is characterized by its elastic and plump flesh, and is delicious fresh, grilled, or boiled.
Abalone
Fresh abalone from Shima is a high-end foodstuff that can be found in a variety of dishes.
Seasonal fish
You can taste delicious seasonal fish throughout the year, including skipjack, yellowtail, sea bream, and chicken grunt, as well as many other high-end fish.
Shima Cuisine
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A relaxing time looking at the sea Luxurious Hotel Stay
A villa-type building, all rooms with ocean views, an exotic resort village, and meals featuring seafood from Ise-Shima... Hotels in Shima are slow-life resort spaces where you can forget about everyday life and enjoy a relaxing time surrounded by rich nature.
Luxurious rooms of various designs
Chef's original dishes
Hot springs to relieve travel fatigue while viewing the ocean
A refreshing time away from the hustle and bustle of the city
Example of hotels
Basara-tei
The total site area is 4,000 tsubo (13,223 sq meters), with a total of 18 guest rooms.All rooms have open-air baths, so you can enjoy bathing at your own leisure.Each room is different from the next, even in the same wing.A creative monthly menu using current seasonal ingredients.It is a quiet retreat for adults.
URL. https://www.basaratei.com/
Village＆Hotel Shima Mediterranean Village
Shima Mediterranean Village, located in the rich natural environment of Ago Bay, is a Mediterranean-style villa-style hotel that offers an extraordinary experience on a large site of approximately 10,000 tsubo （33,058 sq meters）.It is a stay-and-experience resort with guest rooms, hot springs, restaurants, as well as cruising and fishing, where you can enjoy the resort at your leisure.
URL. http://www.puebloamigo.jp/
Auberge of onsen and meals Hotel Provence
The menu features dishes that can only be tasted here, such as Ise-ebi lobster, abalone, and other ingredients from Ise-Shima.No matter how many times you eat, you will discover something new and enjoy dishes that will make you smile.
URL. https://www.kashikojima.com/provence/
Miyako Resort Okushima Aqua Forest
A seaside resort hotel with theme of “Contact with Nature."The hotel offers spacious guest rooms and cottages, hot springs, swimming pools, esthetic clinics, and an astronomical observatory where you can observe the twinkling stars in the night sky.Surrounded by the sea and greenery of Okushima, you can spend a relaxing time away from everyday life.
URL. https://www.miyakohotels.ne.jp/aqua-forest/