鳥羽湾

As well as the Mikimoto Pearl Museum, the Minatomachi Museum and the town's oyster bars, Toba offers a popular boat trip in the Toba Bay out to Iruka Island to a see a dolphin and seal show.




The recent movie The Cove, filmed down the coast in Taiji, raised rather serious questions about the dolphins in Japan's dolphin shows. Watching a dolphin show can never really be the same again with the knowledge that most of the dolphins on display are the lucky survivors of dolphin hunts which end in the bloody slaughter of their fellow creatures.



Ornamental Chinese style boats chug in a circle between the pier near Mikimoto Pearl Island, Toba Aquarium and Irukashima (Dolphin Island). Get on and off any boat on the course.

Prices are 1500 yen for adults; 750 yen for children including the prices of the shows

Tel: 0599 25 3145 Boats run every 30 minutes from 9am-4pm with earlier and later sailings in August.




© JapanVisitor.com

Yahoo Japan Auction Service Book a Japanese Hotel with Bookings Japanese Friends Japan Job Search Tokyo Vice

Tags

Toba Mie Dolphins

鳥羽

There are some excellent views of the small islands in Toba Bay from Hiyoriyama, a short walk either past the Toba Minato Machi Bunka Kaikan or through Kata Shrine right near Toba station and the oyster bars in the Ekimae Shotengai.



The trail passes Medaka School a science and learning center for school children with a foot spa if your feet have begun to ache from the walk.



You will also pass Jouanji Temple, the family temple of the old feudal lords of the area - the Kuki clan and Kotohiragu Toba Bunsha - a shrine connected with Kotohiragu Shrine (Kompira san) on Shikoku. There are more great views of the ocean from here.



The whole walk talks about 90mins to 2 hours.

There are Kinstetsu trains to Toba from Osaka and Nagoya (1 hour, 35 mins) and there are overnight highway buses from Ikebukuro via Kuwana and Tsu to Toba.

Yahoo Japan Auction Service

Book a hotel in Japan with Bookings

Tokyo Serviced Apartments

Japan Friends

Happi Coats

Japanese For Busy People

Tags

Toba Mie

鳥羽みなとまち文学館

A short walk from the oyster bars' side of Toba Station is the quirky Toba Minato Machi Bunka Kaikan.



The museum is the preserved former residence of local artist and writer Junichi Iwata and displays manuscripts, letters and every day items from the lives of Iwata and his literary friend Edogawa Ranpo. Iwata drew illustrations for Edogawa Ranpo's stories and the two shared the house for a while, when Ranpo was living and working in Toba.



Also on show are photographs dating back to 1936, many featuring the famous women divers (ama) of the area.

The subsequent fame of Edogawa Ranpo (1894-1965), aka Taro Hirai, far outweighs that of his associate Junichi Iwata, and it is the personal effects of the noted mystery writer, including his trademark beret and round glasses, on display at the museum, that attract most interest.



Ranpo was an admirer of western thrillers and mystery tales, especially those of Edgar Allan Poe. Among Ranpo's best known works are: Phantom of the Universe, Phantom of the Circus and Vampire.

Ranpo and Junichi Iwata also collaborated on researching the hidden history of Japanese homosexuality - nanshoku - and Iwata published the book Honcho Nanshoku Ko on the subject.
Iwata (1900-46) died at a young age, only 45, in Tokyo, but the museum is a fitting tribute to an energetic, young artist of the time.

Toba Minato Machi Bunka Kaikan
Toba 2-5-2
Tel: 0599 26 3745
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-3pm; Sat-Sun 10am-4.30pm
Admission: Free

Walk south from Toba Station past the entrance to the remains of Toba Castle, at the next signal bear right and the museum is on your right.

There are Kinstetsu trains to Toba from Osaka and Nagoya (1 hour, 35 mins) and there are overnight highway buses from Ikebukuro via Kuwana and Tsu to Toba.

Yahoo Japan Auction Service

Book a hotel in Japan with Bookings

Tokyo Serviced Apartments

Japan Friends

Happi Coats

Japanese For Busy People

Tags

Toba Mie Edogawa Ranpo Junichi Iwata

鳥羽

If you are visiting Toba in Mie Prefecture to see the Mikimoto Pearl Museum or the Aquarium, find time to drop in to one of the small oyster bars serving up fresh shellfish in the JR Station Shotengai.



The row of shops is near the inland entrance to Toba station away from the sea, not the main seaside entrance near the coast where the tourist office is....on the other side. Turn right as you come up from the platforms.

Usually run by a middle-aged woman who dispenses local news along with the beers, the shops serve up delicious shellfish. Ask the kindly matron which type is "in season." The shellfish are kept in water tanks at the front of the shops and you just need to point: abalone, clams, mussels, lobsters, oysters, periwinkles, scallops, sea urchins, sazae (turban shell), whelks.



My favorite place is Mizunuma Sasaeten (水沼さざえ店) run by Mrs. Nakamura, who will be encouraging you in to her small shop as you pass by.

Mizunuma Sasaeten
Tel: 0599 25 2511

There are Kinstetsu trains to Toba from Osaka and Nagoya (1 hour, 35 mins) and there are overnight highway buses from Ikebukuro via Kuwana and Tsu to Toba.

Yahoo Japan Auction Service

Book a hotel in Japan with Bookings

Tokyo Serviced Apartments

Japan Friends

Happi Coats

Japanese For Busy People

Tags

Toba Mie Japanese Food