Cherry blossoms frame a steamy hot spring in Beppu, Japan, with a red torii gate, lush greenery and visitors walking along a path.

Toba, Japan

Cruises to Toba

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Things to do in Toba

Located in Mie Prefecture along the rugged coastline of Ise-Shima, Toba is a serene seaside city famous for being the birthplace of Japan’s cultured pearl industry. With its stunning ocean vistas, traditional ama (female free divers) culture and proximity to the sacred Ise Grand Shrine, Toba offers a unique blend of maritime heritage and spiritual significance — best experienced on Princess spring sailings timed to Japan's cherry blossom season or fall departures aligned to autumn foliage across the Ise-Shima region.

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  • Wooden torii gate and shrine building at Ise Jingu, surrounded by tall trees and white gravel.

    Don’t miss the Ise-jingu Shrine Complex — a vast collection of shrines dedicated to one of Japan’s most sacred deities, the sun goddess Amaterasu-Omikami. 

  • Gloved hands sorting cultured pearls on a white tray beside oyster shells filled with black and golden pearls.

    Experience Toba’s pearl culture and learn how the famous Mikimoto pearls are cultivated — and maybe even see some “sea women” dive. 

  • Dugong swimming near coral and fish in a large aquarium tank, chewing seaweed.

    Meet Serena the dugong (a creature that has long been used as inspiration for the mermaid) at the Toba Aquarium. She’s the oldest dugong in captivity and one of only ones you can see in an aquarium.

  • Traditional wooden pavilion with red lanterns and yellow drapes in a historic Japanese shopping street.

    Shop until you drop at Okage Yokocho, a three-acre street where you can feel like you are an Edo pilgrim and soak in historic architecture.

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Shore excursions to explore Toba

See all of the best of Toba in a day with one of our Princess excursions. Whether you want to see the famous pearls or spend the day at the Ise Shrine, Princess can take care of all the details.

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  • Visitors walking under a large wooden torii gate surrounded by dense green forest at Ise Jingu Shrine.

    Best of Ise and Shima

    Walk on some of the most sacred grounds in all of Japan at Ise-jingu Shrine Complex. This stunning Shinto shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami — the ancient sun goddess, ancestor of the emperors and the protector of Japan. The shrine is built out of ancient cypress wood that is joined together like puzzle pieces with no nails — which has helped this shrine last through years of earthquakes. The shrine is also enormous: It has 120 buildings and spans the same distance as the center of Paris. 

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  • Ama diver near Mikimoto Pearl Island placing an oyster into a wooden bucket, floating in clear blue water with rocky shoreline in the distance.

    Ise shrine, Skyline and Mikimoto Pearl Island

    If you love pearls, you won’t want to miss this excursion to Mikimoto Pearl Island. Back in 1893, Kokichi Mikimoto figured out how to cultivate pearls in the water around his hometown of Toba and began hiring “sea women” to dive and harvest them. Today, you can see the museum that recounts how this process worked, find famous Mikimoto pearls and maybe even see a woman dive for more pearls. 

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  • Traditional wooden building with lattice windows and a tiled roof in Okage Yokocho, Toba, lit warmly from inside.

    Highlights of Ise Shrine

    Wander a historic village that used to be a major stop on historic Japanese pilgrimages to the Ise Shrine. Okage Yokocho is a three-acre street lined with Edo and Meiji architecture — some buildings have been reproduced and some have been transported from UNESCO World Heritage areas. You’ll feel like you stepped into the past as you explore the houses, shops and restaurants that have been serving pilgrims for hundreds of years.

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  • Aerial view of Ago Bay in Toba, Japan showing forested islands, pearl farming rafts and coastal resorts surrounded by calm blue water.

    Toba Aquarium and Kashikojima cruise

    Calling all marine life lovers. The Toba Aquarium boasts more than 30,000 aquatic animals from 1,200 species — the most in any aquarium in Japan. See Serena the dugong (one of the only dugongs living in captivity in the world), the otters jumping from the water, a Japanese giant crab with a leg span of 12 feet and a Sunmeri whale. 

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  • Ise Shima Skyline

    Ise Shima Skyline

    Nature is the premier attraction but there is also a deep culture and rich history to experience during this compact introduction to Toba's colorful and sacred sites. Once you board your coach you'll drive through Mt. Asama along Ise Shima Skyline, a nine-mile-long stretch of road that connects Toba and the town of Ise.

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  • Ocean Culture Experience with 'Ama' Divers and Lunch

    Ocean Culture Experience with 'Ama' Divers and Lunch

    Uncover the history of Toba's fishing traditions and culture with a visit to the Toba Sea-Folk Museum, the only museum in Japan dedicated to understanding the traditions of Toba's fisher-folk, and the relationship between man and the sea. For nearly half a century, the museum has been collecting the antique fishing equipment of fishing villages, and researched the traditions and religion of the area's fisher-folk.

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Experience the Toba port on your next cruise

Toba is a magical city in Japan where you can visit one of the largest and most sacred shrine complexes in the country, walk through the history of luxury pearls and explore a massive aquarium with over 1,200 species of marine life. Princess cruises featuring Toba typically sail roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), pairing the city with ports like Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Kochi and Busan, South Korea Exploring Toba with Princess is just the beginning of what you can discover on your Japan cruise: from Tokyo to Okinawa, the magic of Japan awaits you.

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7-Day Japan & Korea

7-Day Japan & Korea

Roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan

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9-Day Japan Explorer

Roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan

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11-Day Japan Explorer Cherry Blossoms

Roundtrip from Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan

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Discover the sacred sites of  Toba with Princess Cruises

Enter the land of the gods when you visit Toba with Princess. You can explore the Ise shrine complex — with over 125 shrines inside — that houses the Inner Shrine dedicated to the sun goddess, the ancestor of Japan’s emperors. We’ll make sure you don’t miss any of the best spots in Toba.

Cruises to Toba
Large wooden torii gate at the entrance to Ise Shrine, with sunlight filtering through pine trees and a stone walkway leading into the forest.

Enter the sacred heart of Japan at Ise Shrine, where tradition and serenity shine at every step.

View through a bright blue architectural frame showing a small tree-covered island surrounded by deep blue water under a clear sky, with white building elements visible at the edges.

A brilliant blue Mediterranean vista framed by traditional Greek architecture, where azure waters meet a lush green island under clear skies.

A smiling couple stands at the railing of a Princess® cruise ship, enjoying the open sea and blue sky.

A couple stands together on the wooden deck of a Princess® cruise ship, gazing out at the open sea beneath a bright blue sky dotted with clouds.

Front-facing view of a Princess® cruise ship sailing through calm ocean waters.

Cut through the world’s waterways and experience the planet’s most exciting coastlines from a sea-side perspective; our fleet is your luxury-and-entertainment-packed transport to adventure.

Discover our ships

Step aboard any Princess® ship and discover your new favorite way to travel. Each vessel is a floating playground of flavor, comfort and top-deck experiences. Enjoy freshly prepared local dishes, Broadway-caliber entertainment, oceanview fitness and wellness studios, family programming and beds so comfortable they’ve won awards. 


No two ships are identical, but they all share one mission: turn your vacation into a standing ovation.

 

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