Kashikojima | Review by 周黛西

Kashikojima Espana Cruise

The cruise boat departs from Kashikojima and cruises around Ago Bay for about 35 minutes, visits a pearl model factory, and returns to Kashikojima Port. The entire tour will take about 50 minutes.

• Mie
• Experiences Facilities

When visiting the Ise-Shima area of Mie Prefecture, you absolutely shouldn't miss a ride on the Spanish-style sightseeing ship Esperanza at Kashikojima. Modeled after a 16th-century carrack from the Age of Exploration, this sightseeing ship has a magnificent retro design. Once aboard, it feels like you've stepped into the anime world of One Piece, and you can't help wanting to shout, “海賊王かいぞくおうにおれはなる！”
During the 50-minute voyage, the ship cruises slowly and smoothly around Ago Bay, which has more than 60 islands. You can enjoy the scenery while learning about pearl rafts and the submerged coastline. Feeling the sea breeze on the deck or watching the sunset from the open-air seating is still romantic.
Before or after the cruise, the many modern, diverse, and traditional pearl shops around Kashikojima Station are also great spots for taking commemorative photos, making this cruise a beautiful and precious memory, like a pearl.

Ama hut Osatsu Kamado

Kamado is a hut where ama divers rest after a hard day's work. Ama divers welcome tourists to talk about their stories, while having fresh seafood and snacks. It is a great opportunity to learn authentic ama culture.

• Mie
• Experiences Facilities

When visiting Toba, stepping into an ama hut, the most direct experience is sitting by the charcoal fire and enjoying local seafood. Fish, turban shells, octopus, and other shellfish are served one after another, slowly grilled over charcoal by the ama divers. With little seasoning needed, you can taste the seafood's natural sweetness and the subtle saltiness of the sea. After the meal, there is also sea urchin rice made by the ama divers and miso soup with grilled mochi, simple but flavorful.
More than the seafood itself, what left the strongest impression was the warm, friendly interaction with the ama divers and experiencing this traditional fishing culture through them. Seeing how they treasure every ingredient also gives you a better understanding of the hardships of their work and the value of marine resources. After the meal, stepping outside to enjoy the sea breeze and look at the clear water, this visit to the ama hut was not just about tasting seafood, but also gaining a deeper understanding of the local culture.

Onigajo

A scenic spot designated as a National Natural Monument and also registered as a World Heritage Site. Massive rock walls, shaped by natural phenomena over tens of thousands of years including seismic uplift, weathering, and wave erosion, stretch for Approx. 1.2 km, and their overwhelming scale is sure to impress everyone. A promenade has been developed along the rock walls, allowing visitors to admire the scattered caves and unusual rock formations up close.

• Mie
• Nature Spots

Onigajo in Kumano is a magnificent natural wonder sculpted over tens of millions of years. Crustal uplift, prolonged weathering, and coastal erosion created massive rock walls stretching about 1.2 km, with layers of raised rock shelves, sharp and rugged formations, and sea caves of all sizes. They look as though they were carved by demons wielding giant axes, making for a visually stunning sight.
It is also one of the component sites of the Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range World Heritage Site and is designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty and Natural Monument. Walking along the coastal trail, the deep blue Kumano Sea contrasts sharply with the dark gray rock walls. Waves crash against the shore with heart-pounding force, the sea breeze carries a salty scent, and beneath my feet are rocks worn down over the years. I carefully made my way along, gripping the rock wall as if walking on thin ice.
From the Oni-no-Miharashidai lookout, you can gaze out over the expansive rock terrace known as Senjojiki and other sights. With the sea and sky blending into one, you can feel the immense power of nature even more, inspiring a sense of awe. The legend of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro defeating pirates adds another layer of mystery and a rugged sense of history to this unusual rocky coastline. Exploring the entire area takes about 90 minutes round trip, so come and fully enjoy the extraordinary beauty created by nature.