Mie Prefecture, within the Kansai region on Japan’s main island of Honshu, has vast protected areas and some 1,000 kilometers of Pacific coastline.
In its city of Ise is one of Japan’s holiest sites: the Ise Grand Shrine, a Shinto complex inside Ise-Shima National Park.
The park encompasses the Shima Peninsula, including Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks), a pair of sacred sea rocks linked by ceremonial rope.
For those who are seeking out delectable fare, Mie Prefecture boasts of exceptional seafood thanks to its ocean-side location and is also home to one of the three best types of Japanese beef.
And then there’s its natural beauty, with dense ancient forests that meet cascading waterfalls.