A Kansai Railway Mini-Trip: Meeting Ancient Japan and Its Mountains and Seas

Japan’s Mie Prefecture has long been valued for its natural beauty and abundant harvests brought by its mountains and seas, and was even the most visited travel destination in Japan during the Edo period. Nowadays, since Mie is located midway between Chubu Centrair International Airport and Kansai International Airport, access is convenient from either airport. Coupled with the Kintetsu Railway’s Kansai Area Wide Pass, tailored for foreign tourists, you can freely ride the Kintetsu lines for five days to explore Mie Prefecture and connect to nearby cities such as Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, adding flexibility to the entire Mie trip. The group thus set out from Osaka on a Kinki railway journey, with the train tracing our footsteps into a long, winding path across the rich lands of central Japan. Autumn leaves, mountain winds, and ocean flavors enriched the season’s face and filled the travelers’ souls and senses.

 

The architecture of Ise Grand Shrine is unique, resembling a high-floor grain storage house — the oldest style of Japanese architecture since the Yayoi period. Within its grounds are 14 auxiliary shrines, as well as 109 subordinate and minor shrines, collectively referred to locally as “Shrines.” Exiting the station, I strolled to the Outer Shrine, dedicated to Toyouke no Omikami, the deity of clothing, food, and housing. By coincidence, I encountered the “Daily Morning and Evening Great Food Offering Ceremony.” Though I didn’t understand the ritual procedures, the solemn expressions and movements of the priests dressed in Heian-period attire conveyed the greatness of an ancient culture being passed down. Following ancient customs, I continued along the white-sand path through the forest, crossed over the Uji Bridge — the bridge connecting the human world and the sacred realm — and passed through the dense Shrine Forest. In the distance, I could see the golden sunlight shining on the eaves of the Inner Shrine’s main hall, resplendent yet solemn. The Inner Shrine enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, Japan’s supreme deity. Unfortunately, aside from the Imperial Family, all visitors can only worship from the stone steps in front of the shrine gate, peering through the curtain — which, in turn, adds to the solemnity and mystery of Ise Grand Shrine.

Leaving Ise Grand Shrine, I arrived in Toba. Toba is home to the world’s first cultivated pearl bay, and the man behind this groundbreaking technology was “Kokichi Mikimoto,” the founder of the renowned pearl brand MIKIMOTO. On Mikimoto Pearl Island in Toba, you can learn about Mikimoto’s legendary story and pearl cultivation techniques, and even try your hand at selecting pearls. But my real purpose on this trip wasn’t these pure, beautiful pearls.

 

It is said that there once lived a group of women around here who always wore white cotton garments, specialized in diving for abalone and pearls, and made whistling-like sounds when surfacing for air — these were the “ama divers,” once registered as an intangible cultural heritage of the world. At Mikimoto Pearl Island, you can watch live ama diving performances; at fixed times each day, ama divers demonstrate their work by diving in front of visitors. Chatting with the ama, I saw genuine hearts more radiant than pearls in their slightly proud yet sincere and cheerful smiles.

Taking the Kinki Railway back a bit, I headed first to Nara to view the autumn foliage. Outside Kintetsu Nara Station, a small eatery named “DRINK DRANK” deeply attracted my companion and me with its forest-like ambiance. The menu, which changes with the seasons, features locally sourced vegetables forming various dishes — sweet fruits and vegetables paired with shrimp and curry chicken, making the taste buds feel as if bathed in fresh country air. Renting a city bike, I pedaled nimbly through the alleys of Nara Town and past traditional shops. Places like “Harushika,” known for brewing premium sake, and “Okashino-ya,” a century-old shop selling wagashi and manju, are must-visits to experience the traditional spirit of Nara. Occasionally glancing up, the late autumn light spilled onto the bright red leaves, reflecting tiny glimmers — dazzling yet simple, just like the impression Nara gives. Behind its once-flourishing past lies a scene of simplicity.