seshi Station is more than just a transit point. It offers thorough support for tourists. At the Iseshi Station Tourist Information Center inside the station, staff members provide transportation information and assistance with planning itineraries in different languages, including English. This makes the station a particularly reassuring base for international visitors.
There is also a luggage storage facility next to the station, which allows visitors to leave their luggage and enjoy sightseeing at Ise Shrine or around the city empty-handed. They offer various services, including same-day luggage delivery to accommodations within the Ise, Toba, and Shima areas, convenient bicycle rentals for travel between the Outer and Inner Shrines, and mobile battery rentals, significantly improving convenience for visitors.
Those wishing to explore the various attractions spread across the vast region can use the convenient and cost-effective Michikusa Ticket (Ise/Toba area), which offers unlimited bus rides on Mie Kotsu city buses within Ise and Toba. The ticket is available for either one or two days and facilitates travel to Ise Shrine, Futami Okitama Shrine, and Toba Aquarium. Presenting the pass at designated tourist facilities and restaurants also grants discounts and benefits.

Iseshima tourism starts at Ise Shrine, which boasts a history of approximately 2,000 years. The popular Oharaimachi and Okage Yokocho in front of the Inner Shrine recreate the retro streetscape of the Edo period and Meiji era. Here, you can enjoy delicious food and find souvenirs. Those wishing to visit the shrine peacefully should come around 5 AM.
The Iseshima region hosts various festivals throughout the year, including the large-scale Ise Festival every autumn. The biggest festival in Iseshima, it attracts large crowds around Iseshi Station with the Ise and Yosakoi dances, marching parades, and tezutsu-hanabi projectors. Additionally, the Shikinen Sengu ritual, which occurs once every 20 years, involves transferring the deity to newly rebuilt shrine structures. This makes it the shrine’s most important festival. Related ceremonies and rituals will begin in 2025.
Peak seasons include the Year-End/New Year holidays and every first day of the month when many visitors gather at Ise Shrine, as well as summer through autumn when tourist numbers surge significantly. Congestion in tourist spots and transportation is expected during these periods. From January 1st to 3rd, many Japanese people visit Ise Shrine for Hatsumode, the first shrine visit of the year, causing heavy congestion.

Cost-effective sightseeing tickets and convenient services are available for international visitors traveling to Iseshima.

Cost-effective wide-area travel with the KINTETSU RAIL PASS!
This special pass, designed for international tourists, offers unlimited rides on Kintetsu Railway trains, as well as designated zones of Mie Kotsu Bus and Toba City Kamome Bus in the Iseshima area for five consecutive days. Use this pass for cost-effective and smooth travel from Osaka, Kyoto, or Nagoya to Iseshima. Please check the website for more information.

Save time by traveling to Iseshima with JAL MaaS!
If you're arriving at Iseshima from Chubu Centrair International Airport, we recommend using JAL MaaS's convenient digital ticket service. Avoid too many transfers and the need to carry your luggage for long periods by combining high-speed ferries with chartered taxis after landing and until arriving at your destination in Iseshima. The shortest journey from the airport to the Ise Shrine area takes approximately 105 minutes, which is faster than using public transportation. You must purchase tickets at least two days before your trip. They are available until February 13, 2026. Please check the website for more information.

The Iseshima region has long faced challenges, such as taxi shortages and a lack of transportation options at night, especially in tourist areas. To address this, a pilot project for Japan’s version of ride-sharing based on national regulations is underway in Ise and Shima. It allows local general drivers to transport users in their personal vehicles for a fee under the management of taxi companies.

Shima pilot project
This project’s goal is to meet transportation needs at night, mainly from 8 PM to midnight, from the peak summer season through autumn, as requested by lodging facilities. The service is accessible via the taxi app GO, with fares determined in advance based on standard taxi rates.

Ise pilot project
Ise’s project also aims to meet transportation needs at night. The second trial operation in 2025 is scheduled to run from August 1 to January 31, 2026, on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 PM to midnight (extended to 2 AM during peak seasons). The service is also handled via the GO app.

These pilot projects are highly anticipated as new initiatives to improve tourist convenience and guarantee transportation options for local residents in tourist areas facing severe taxi shortages. Giving visitors enough options to travel freely at night will contribute to increasing overall satisfaction among tourists spending the night in the area.

The Iseshima region is a charming tourist destination where history, nature, and a rich food culture coexist in harmony. Constant improvements are in place to create a welcoming environment for visitors, including a convenient support system for tourists around Iseshi Station, sightseeing passes for international visitors, and a pilot project for Japan’s version of ride-sharing to address nighttime transportation issues. Please use this information as a reference to enjoy a comfortable and memorable trip in Iseshima.