Iga / Nabari

Top Things to do

• Ninja Museum of Igaryu

  4.0

  319 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenomarunouchi 117

  This ninja museum in Iga Ueno Castle's Ueno Park boasts the best ninja collection in the world. Composed of the Ninja House, Ninja Experience Hall, and Ninja Tradition Hall, they showcase real ninjas with a concept of bringing ninjutsu into the present. The Ninja House itself was built by a local Iga clan, and under the guidance of a kunoichi (female ninja), you can check out its contrivances like trap doors, escape routes, and revolving walls. The Azura ninja group's breathtaking shows and the shuriken throwing program are also popular. So is the shop selling ninja related items.

• Iga Ueno Castle

  4.0

  231 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenomarunouchi 106

  This castle is also called the Hakuho (white phoenix) castle as the white shining walls of this three-story castle look almost like a phoenix resting its wings. Distinguished castle designer Todo Takatora, who took up the position of feudal lord of Tsu Domain, Ise Province originally built a five-story castle keep but it was destroyed during a great storm in 1612. The current castle keep was restored in 1935. The beautiful stone walls with a height of 30 meters as well as the inner moat remain as they were at the time when Takatora designed them, and the castle was designated as a national historic site in 1967, while the castle keep was designated as an Iga City Tangible Cultural Property in 1985.

• Ueno Park

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenomarunouchi 122-1

  This castle ruin park stretches in front of the Iga Line's Uenoshi Station. A characteristic of the symbolic Iga Ueno Castle is the high stone wall built by Todo Takatora, a military commander in the Warring States period. It is also called Hakuho Castle (white firebird castle) because of the beauty of the white, three-tiered castle. There are an array of facilities in the park overflowing with history such as the Iga-ryu Ninja Yashiki (Iga style ninja mansion) with surprise twists and secret doors, the Haiseiden (Matsuo Basho Memorial) that is modeled after Basho's traditional Japanese travel outfit, and the Basho Memorial Museum. Especially at the ninja mansion, they demonstrate Iga-style ninja techniques, and everyone from history fans to children can enjoy themselves. In addition, there are many different flowers that bloom throughout the year, and it is especially famous as a place to view cherry blossoms. It is visited by many cherry blossom viewers in April.

• Roadside Station Iga

  3.5

  36 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Tsugemachi 6187-1

  A roadside station located close to the Iga Interchange on the Meihan Expressway in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. The station's distinctive octagonal building is modeled after a famous haiku by the great Matsuo Basho. The station's specialty products market sells locally grown vegetables and Iga specialty products, while the station's restaurant serves Iga beef croquettes, Matsusaka beef yakiniku barbecue set meals, and other dishes made with local ingredients. The station also has a free dog park and a convenience store open 24 hours a day.

• Roadside Station Ayama

  3.5

  30 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Kawai Yakuo 3370-29

  A roadside station located in Oaza Kawai Yakeo, Iga City. The station's restaurant, Sasayuri, serves Iga beef udon noodles and set meals which include sides made with seasonal local vegetables. The Tortarosso bread shop offers a variety of seasonal breads. The farm fresh shop sells local specialty vegetables and fish, while the Glass Bin Shop sells glass products by NSK. The station offers soba noodle making workshops on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, and during the two hour classes attendees will make their own soba noodles from scratch.

• Iga no Sato Mokumoku Tezukuri Farm

  4.5

  22 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Nishiyubune 3609

  A farm and tourist-oriented facility which only creates additive-free and low additive products based on the theme of combining healthiness and deliciousness. The farm’s spacious grounds are host to a brewery, café, hot spring bathhouse, and more. At the Ham & Weiner Senmonkan, you can watch ham and sausages being made through a glass window. Visitors can learn about food and farming through a variety of classes on hand making foods. At the educational farm area, children can milk cows and ride ponies. There’s also a restaurant which serves fresh vegetables and pork raised on-site.

• Aoyama Plateau

  Mie Pref. Igashi Kachidi

  This plateau occupies one corner of Muro-Akame-Aoyama Quasi-National Park, located in Kachiji, Iga City, Mie Prefecture. The plateau's gentle slopes and the Aoyama Plateau National Park Road and Tokai Nature Trail are maintained to allow visitors to enjoy driving and walking here. In the spring, Japanese andromeda and Rhododendrons bloom, and throughout the summer visitors can see the small red Carnation flowers. Visitors can also enjoy the beauty of the four seasons with the Maiden Silvergrass in the fall and the frost-covered trees in the winter. Near the top of the plateau, there is a wind farm with dozens of wind turbines. Visitors can come close to the turbines to appreciate this impressive sight.

• Yabutcha

  4.0

  28 Reviews

  Mie Pref. Igashi Shimagahara 13680

  This hot spring facility is in Iga City, Mie Prefecture. The constantly replenished “kakenagashi” style water is 100% mineral-rich natural hot spring. The scenic outdoor bath offers a view of Kizugawa River and Shimagahara you can enjoy while you soak. The facility also has a free rest station and restaurant, as well as a souvenir shop where you can buy Iga specialty sweets and local products to take home.

• Akame 48 Waterfalls

  Mie Pref. Nabarishi Akamechou Nagasaka

  The general title for a four kilometer stretch of river comprised of numerous waterfalls. The area has been selected for numerous lists of scenic locations, including the Heisei 100 Famous Waterfalls, 100 Select Walking Trails, and Japan’s 100 Best Waterfall Scenery lists. Among the many waterfalls, the Akame Gobaku five falls are particularly impressive. The falls have been seen as a sacred site in traditional mountain worship since ancient times and En no Gyoja, famed mystic and founder of Shugendo asceticism, trained here. It is said that En no Gyoja met the Wisdom King Acala riding a red-eyed bull when training here, hence the area’s name of Akame (“Red Eye”). A statue of red-eyed bull is positioned along the walking trail, and it is said that rubbing them brings good luck.