Toba Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Toba (鳥羽) is a city in Mie, on the island of Honshu.

Toba is a popular tourist destination at the southern entrance to Ise Bay. Toba's greatest claim to fame is as the birthplace of cultured pearls.

Toba also has a number of islands nearby which are accessible by ferry. The two larger islands are Toshijima (答志島) and Sugashima (菅島). Kamishima (神島) is a smaller, more remote island.

The local tourist association has a Japanese-only guide site and an English-language guide site with different sets of contents.

Map of Toba

• 34.480444136.8466811 Isewan Ferry (伊勢湾フェリー), Toba 3-chome 1484-111, ☏ +81 599-25-2880. Connects Toba to the village of Irago in Tahara, Aichi. (updated Dec 2015)

Toba Station is the final station of the Kintetsu Toba and Shima Lines as well as the JR Sangu Line. Most travelers connect at Ise or Shima. 2 hours by limited express kintetsu train from Osaka, 1 hour 35 minutes by limited express Kintetsu train or 1 hour 50 minutes by JR Central's Rapid Service Mie from Nagoya.

Mie Kotsu's CAN Bus is a service providing unlimited travel around the Ise, Futami, and Toba areas. A 1-day pass is ¥1000 for adults, ¥500 for children. A 2-day pass is ¥1600 and ¥800.

• 34.483333136.8469441 Mikimoto Pearl Island (ミキモト真珠島) (Five minutes' walk from Toba Station.). 09:00-17:00. A museum celebrating the local inventor of the cultured pearl, and demonstrations by Ama (海女 woman pearl divers). English guidance available. ¥1650.  
• 34.4817136.8462 Toba Aquarium (鳥羽水族館). Visitors can see African manatees, dolphins, a walrus, and a wide variety of shellfish, among other things. Although the manatees are quite popular, as they are the largest animals in the aquarium, the real gem is the dugong, listed as the "mermaid" in the pamphlet. Toba aquarium is one of only 4 aquariums in the world to display dugong, the others being in Sydney, Singapore, and Jakarta. English guides are available upon request at the information center inside the aquarium. ¥2400 adults, ¥1200 children.  

Short and easy hikes are possible within Sugashima Island, from where you can enjoy nice views on Toba bay.

Many hotels near Toba Station have onsen that are available for day visits.

• Ise
• Shima
• Minamiise
• Meiwa
• Tamaki
• Matsusaka
• Watarai
• Taki
• Taiki