Cruise port in Japan

Toba

Allow about 5 min each way from the terminal to the city center. Average time in port: 9 hours. 21 places to explore.

Ships calling here: 2 ships
Upcoming sailings: 63 sailings
Average time in port: About 9 hours
Lowest fare: From USD 1,004

Photo by WANG Tianfang on Unsplash

After disembarking

Cruise ships dock at Toba Port Cruise Facilities. Allow about 5 min each way from the terminal to the city center.

Where the ship docks
Cruise ships dock at Toba Port Cruise Facilities.
Tender Landing and Walkability at Toba Port
Large cruise ships anchor in Toba Bay, then passengers take a tender boat to Sadahama Pier (Toba Marine Terminal). Mikimoto Pearl Island, Toba Aquarium, and Toba Station are all within a 5–15-minute walk.
Train and Bus to Ise Shrine and Okage Yokocho
From Kintetsu Toba Station, take a train for about 15 minutes to Ujiyamada or Iseshi Station, then a Mie Kotsu bus to Ise Jingu Naiku and the historic shopping street Okage Yokocho.
Observe the Last Tender Time
The last tender back to the ship closes about 1–2 hours before departure. Be sure to check the final tender time in the daily onboard guide.

About 9 hours in port: where can you go?

Time available at the destination after subtracting return travel.

Toba city centreAbout 5 min each wayTime at destinationAbout 8 hr 30 min
IseAbout 25 min each wayTime at destinationAbout 8 hr

Return travel Time at destination

Calculated from the average time in port. Return deadlines vary by sailing; check the daily programme on board.

Between the terminal, city and airport

Travel between the terminal, city center, railway station and airport.

WalkAbout 10 minJPY 0

Toba Marine Terminal (Sadahama Pier) → Mikimoto Pearl Island

Walk south for 8 minutes along the seaside promenade from the terminal to the Pearl Bridge, which connects to the entrance of Mikimoto Pearl Island.

WalkAbout 15 minJPY 0

Toba Marine Terminal → Toba Aquarium

Walk straight southeast for 15 minutes along the coastal road, past Mikimoto Pearl Island, to the main entrance of Toba Aquarium.

TrainAbout 15 minJPY 340~JPY 860

Kintetsu Toba Station → Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station

At Kintetsu Toba Station, take an express or limited express on the Kintetsu Toba Line and get off at Ujiyamada Station.

BusAbout 15 minJPY 470

Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station → Ise Jingu Naiku (Inner Shrine) & Okage Yokocho

At platform 1 at the bus stop in front of Ujiyamada Station, take a Mie Kotsu CAN Bus or a route bus toward Ise Jingu Naiku and get off at Naiku-mae.

Toba places to explore

Explore 10 checked places. Select a pin to see its card, or choose View on map from a card.

Sights

Toba Aquarium

With about 1,200 species of animals, the most of any aquarium in Japan, this indoor aquarium is the only facility in Japan keeping dugongs. Visitors can also see cute sea otters and sea lion shows.

Visit: about 1 hr 40 min
Admission: JPY 2,800

There is no set route, so you can visit the 12 themed areas in any order.

Official website Google Maps

Sights

Toba Sea-Folk Museum

This museum is a National Important Tangible Folk Cultural Property and houses around 60,000 folk artifacts, including traditional fishing tools used by ama divers and fishermen and around 90 actual wooden boats.

Visit: about 1 hr
Admission: JPY 800

Located about 20 minutes southeast of Toba by bus or taxi.

Official website Google Maps

Sights

Toba Castle Ruins (Shiroyama Park)

This is the site of a sea castle built facing the ocean by Kuki Yoshitaka, a commander of the Kuki navy. The Honmaru observation deck at the hilltop offers expansive views of Toba Bay and its islands.

Visit: about 40 min
Admission: Free

There is a gentle stairway and uphill path from behind Toba Station to the observation deck.

Official website Google Maps

Sights

Mikimoto Pearl Island

This island is where Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in cultivating pearls for the first time in the world in 1893. Visitors can see a museum of antique pearl crafts and traditional ama free-diving demonstrations.

Visit: about 1 hr 15 min
Admission: JPY 1,650

Traditional ama divers dressed in white demonstrate diving on the hour.

Google Maps

Sights

Hinoyama Observatory

This hill retains a compass stone once used by sailors to check the wind and weather. It offers views of the Kintetsu railway and the waterways of Toba Bay.

Visit: about 35 min
Admission: Free

There are stairs on the way up to the observatory.

Official website Google Maps

Trips nearby

With enough time in port, you can explore beyond the city. One-way times are approximate.

Ise

About 25 min each wayTime at destination About 8 hr

SightsIse Grand Shrine Naiku
This is Japan’s foremost shrine, enshrining the sun deity Amaterasu Omikami, the ancestral deity of the Imperial family. Its ancient cedar-lined path, wooden Uji Bridge, and clear hand-washing place on the Isuzu River create a solemn atmosphere.
The gravel approach path is long, so wear comfortable flat sneakers.
Official website
SightsIse Grand Shrine Geku
This shrine enshrines Toyouke-no-Omikami, guardian deity of food, clothing, shelter, and industry. Tradition calls for visiting here first before worshipping at the Inner Shrine.
Excellent access by train, a 5-minute walk from JR/Kintetsu Iseshi Station.
Official website
SightsMeoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks)
These are husband and wife rocks firmly joined by a thick shimenawa rope amid rough waves. The site is popular for praying for marital harmony and matchmaking, and for watching the sunrise.
Located at Futamiura midway between Toba and Ise, with easy access by CAN Bus.
Official website
NeighborhoodsOharai-machi & Okage Yokocho
This lively pilgrimage street stretches 800 m in front of the main gate of Ise Jingu's Inner Shrine, recreating wooden, tiled-roof buildings from the Edo and Meiji periods. It is packed with local food shops and craft stores.
The street is very crowded with worshippers during the day on weekends and holidays.
Official website Google Maps
SightsSarutahiko Shrine
This shrine enshrines Sarutahiko Okami, a guide deity who leads people in a good direction. Worshippers continually visit to pray for new beginnings and safe travel.
Located a 10-minute walk from Ise Jingu Naiku.
Official website Google Maps
Food and cafésAkafuku Honten
Founded in 1707 and operating for more than 300 years, this is a leading Ise confectionery shop. It serves freshly brewed bancha tea with Akafuku mochi, soft red bean paste shaped to resemble waves on the Isuzu River atop rice cakes.
Located at the entrance to Okage Yokocho, where you can sample items in a tatami room overlooking the river.
Official website Google Maps
Food and cafésButasute Okage Yokocho
Founded in 1909, this long-established butcher operates a takeaway counter for beef croquettes with crisp outsides and juicy centers, as well as an Ise beef gyudon restaurant.
The queue for takeaway croquettes on the street can be long, but it moves very quickly.
Official website Google Maps
Food and cafésFukusuke
This traditional Ise udon shop serves thick noodles boiled for 1 hour until exceptionally soft, then tossed in a rich special tamari soy sauce infused with katsuobushi and natural kelp.
Located beside the Okage Yokocho plaza; food is served quickly after buying a meal ticket and taking a seat.
Official website Google Maps
Food and cafésIsuzugawa Cafe
This wooden café faces the clear waters of the Isuzu River behind Oharaimachi. Guests can enjoy flannel-drip coffee, roll cake, and cheesecake while watching the river flow.
The riverside terrace and window counter seats are the most popular.
Official website Google Maps
ShoppingIse Shoyu Honpo
This shop specializes in rich Ise soy sauce brewed from soybeans and wheat from Mie Prefecture. It sells freshly grilled soy-sauce dango and savory Ise soy-sauce soft-serve ice cream.
Soy sauce soft serve and grilled dango are popular snacks along the approach to the shrine.
Official website Google Maps
Food and cafésEbisuya
Located in Oharaimachi, this traditional restaurant serves premium Matsusaka beef steak rice bowls from Mie Prefecture and set meals with red sea bream from Ise Bay.
The Matsusaka beef loin grilled rice bowl is a popular menu item.
Official website Google Maps