Top Things to do

• Iga Ueno Castle

  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.

• Home of Matsuo Basho

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenoakasakachou 304

  This is the childhood home of the great poet Matsuo Basho, who lived here until the age of 29. The grounds contain a stone slab inscribed with the haiku Basho composed when he found the umbilical cord his family had kept in this house – “Old village! / Umbilical’s tail at cry / Year’s end.” A building called the Chogetsuken in the garden behind the house is where The Seashell Game poetry anthology was compiled by Basho. The home provides visitors with a glimpse of the life Basho lived in the place here returned to on many occasions after his travels.

• Basho Memorial Museum

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenomarunouchi 117-13

  This memorial museum in Ueno Park in Iga City is dedicated to the famous poet, Matsuo Basho. With financial aid from Kanbe Mannosuke the museum was opened in 1959. On display in the museum you'll find writings and poems in Basho's own handwriting including his will as well as source materials relating to Japanese renga and haikai poetry. There is also a light up bulletin board that shows the routes of Basho's five journeys. Special exhibitions are held four times a year.

• Kyusukodo

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenomarunouchi 78-1

  This local domain school was erected in 1821 to educate the children of feudal retainers living in the Iga, Yamato, and Yamashiro areas. The school was established as a branch of Yuzokan, Tsu Domain. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the dedication feudal retainers of the time had towards learning in the exhibition hall and lecture hall, which is floored with 72 tatami mats just as when the school was first built.

• Iga no Sato Mokumoku Tezukuri Farm

  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.

• 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.

• Iga Ware Traditional Craft Center (Iga-yaki Dento Sangyo Kaikan)

  Mie Pref. Igashi Marubashira 169-2

  Iga Ware Traditional Craft Center in Iga City, Mie Prefecture is an interactive facility for Iga Ware. It features a beautiful vitreous bidoro (vitrified glass) glaze and has been designated as a traditional artifact. Iga Ware Traditional Craft Center, located in the Marubashira area, where there is a particular concentration of potteries in Iga, promotes Iga Ware and trains successors to the craft, holds exhibitions that include historical documents in addition to selling Iga Ware. You can also enjoy hands-on pottery activities such as pottery making using an electric potter’s wheel, hand forming pottery making as well as ceramic painting.

• Kogetsudo

  Mie Pref. Igashi Uenonakamachi 3028

  Kogetsudo, located five minutes’ walk from Uenoshi Station on the Iga Railway Line, is a well-established Japanese sweet shop selling decchiyokan (sweet bean cakes using inexpensive ingredients). In a tiny shop with a traditional and retro exterior, there is a range of nostalgic sweets including Iga local sweets. Decchiyokan, the hallmark product, is like a soft sweet bean jelly, and this famous traditional confectionery has long been loved in the Iga region. Decchiyokan, which is moist and smooth with soft texture, is lightly sweetened as it uses traditional ingredients such as agar strip and honkuzu (100% arrowroot) from the Yoshino region. The owner makes them himself every morning.

• Iga Ware Pottery Nagatanien

  Mie Pref. Igashi Marubashira 569

  Iga Ware Pottery Nagatanien is a well-established pottery which has carried on the culture and techniques of Iga Ware since opening in 1832. A climbing kiln with 16 continuous chambers operated until 1970s has been designated as a National Tangible Cultural Property. Taishokan built in the Taisho period (1912-1926) was actually used as an office until the 2000s. It preserves a phone and a safe from those days, and today opens as a place to rest where you can enjoy Taisho Roman (romantic vintage style).