The Owase-Kumano area offers sightseeing spots such as Kumano Kodo, Shiroyama Park, and Nunobiki Falls; sightseeing events such as the Kumano Grand Fireworks Festival, Owase Yaya Festival, and Kihoku Lantern Festival; and local delicacies such as Akafuku, Ichigo Daifuku, and Aosasan.
Owase is known as the area with the highest rainfall in Japan and is located in the southern part of Mie Prefecture. Nearby are "Nachi Falls" and various sightseeing spots along "National Route 42." Driving by car, you can see very beautiful scenery during the fall foliage season.
The Kumanonada Sea is mainly a fishing area along the rias coast, and marine products are the largest source of income for tourism. Local cuisine is also dominated by marine products. The offshore area of the Pacific Ocean is a good fishing ground for the Kuroshio Current, so all marine products are extremely delicious, making this area a must-see for gourmets.
Owase also has a thriving forestry industry, but while production has been declining recently, quality has been reviewed and efforts to create new products have begun.
The "Kumano Kodo" is so well-known for its historical exploration that it was used for the purpose of worship, but even these days there are many people who take a stroll along it in search of traces of the past. It is a famous story that this pilgrimage was compared to "ants' Kumano Pilgrimage. Pilgrimage to the three Kumano mountains, Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, and Kumano Nachi Taisha, is called Kumano Pilgrimage.
Surprisingly few people know that Owase is home to many famous people, including Xufuku, who is said to have introduced rice cultivation to Japan, Emperor Go-Shirakawa, who promoted the Japan-Song trade, Izanami no Mikoto, the god who is said to have laid the foundation of Japan, and Tamuramaro Sakagami, who was known as a warrior. It is a fact.
There are many sightseeing spots related to these people and others, including the "Kumano Kodo Center," which tells the history of the entire Kumano Kodo, "Hana no Kutsu Shrine," which has a 70-meter-high sacred rock, and "Yangji Yakushido," which is associated with Emperor Goshirakawa.
Gourmet foods include Owase's specialty "Honkarasumi (dried mullet roe)" and fresh local fish, which are sold as souvenirs for travelers using the Kumano Kodo route. In particular, "sanma-zushi" is a rare delicacy, a unique gourmet dish that can only be made with fresh ingredients.
Onigajo is a spectacular coastal landscape in Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, designated as both a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument of Japan. Along the rugged coastline facing the Pacific Ocean's Kumano Sea, countless sea caves and unusual rock formations have been carved by powerful waves and shaped by geological uplift. Stretching approximately 1.2 kilometers, these dramatic formations...»
A Spectacular Coastline Stretching for Approximately 25 Kilometers Shichiri Mihama Beach extends for approximately 25 kilometers along the coast from Kumano City to Kiho Town in Mie Prefecture. Recognized as Japan’s longest pebble beach, it is known for its striking combination of colorful rounded stones, deep blue sea, and lush green pine forests planted along the shore as windbreaks. The beach...»
A Beautiful Historic Mountain Trail Magose Pass lies on the border between Kihoku Town and Owase City in Mie Prefecture. It is part of the historic Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes, a network of trails used for centuries by pilgrims traveling to the sacred sites of the Kumano region. The pass is particularly renowned for preserving some of the most beautiful stone-paved paths along the entire route....»
Discover Sea Turtles Up Close Kiho Town Sea Turtle Park is located in Kiho Town, an area along the Kumano-nada coast where sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The park is a roadside rest area with a distinctive attraction: the Sea Turtle Interaction Park, an aquarium where visitors can observe live sea turtles swimming in their pools from above or through underwater viewing windows. The f...»
A Dramatic Coastal Landscape Tate-ga-saki is a spectacular coastal landmark where immense cliffs of columnar jointing rise dramatically above the sea. Combined with the powerful waves of the Kumano-nada Sea crashing against the rocky shoreline, the cliffs create a striking and rugged landscape. According to local tradition, this area is also said to be a place where Emperor Jimmu, the legendary f...»
A Regional Sushi Tradition from Higashi-Kishu Sanma sushi is a traditional local dish enjoyed in the Higashi-Kishu region of Mie Prefecture. It is made with Pacific saury, known in Japanese as sanma, that has relatively little fat by the time it reaches the waters off southern Mie. The fish is cured in salt and citrus-infused vinegar, then paired with sushi rice to create a refreshing dish with a...»
A Local Specialty of Kiwacho Pheasant hot pot is a regional specialty of Kiwacho, in the Kumano area of Mie Prefecture. The dish is prepared using pheasants raised in an outdoor enclosure of approximately one hectare. Pheasant meat is known for its lean texture and delicate flavor, making it particularly well suited to hot pot cooking. It is especially popular during the winter months, when the ...»
Sunfish cuisine, made from the large ocean sunfish known in Japanese as manbō, is a distinctive regional specialty in the Higashi-Kishu area of southern Mie Prefecture. Although it may be unfamiliar to many international visitors, sunfish has long been enjoyed as an everyday food in this coastal region. Its mild flavor and unusual texture make it an intriguing choice for adventurous food lovers....»
Whole-dried Pacific saury is a beloved winter specialty in Owase, a coastal city in southern Mie Prefecture. Made from fresh saury landed at Owase Port, this traditional dried fish is known for its clean, delicate flavor and firm texture. Because the fish has shed much of its fat during its southward migration, it offers a lighter taste than the richer saury often enjoyed elsewhere in Japan....»
Kumano Jidori is a premium local chicken from the Kumano region of Mie Prefecture, known for its distinctive texture, refreshing flavor, and juicy meat. Even when cooked at high temperatures, it retains a satisfying firmness, making it a prized ingredient in regional cuisine....»
The waters of Kumano-nada off Owase, in Mie Prefecture, are known for their abundant bonito, a migratory fish carried along the coast by the powerful Kuroshio Current. Fishing boats head out in spring and autumn to catch bonito at two distinct stages of its seasonal migration. From May to June, fishermen target hatsu-gatsuo, or “first bonito,” as the fish migrate northward. From August to October...»
Nanki citrus is a regional specialty of Mihama Town in southern Mie Prefecture, an area blessed with a mild climate that allows citrus fruit to be harvested throughout the year. More than 20 varieties are cultivated here, offering a wide range of flavors, sizes, and seasonal characteristics. Rather than being limited to a single harvest season, Nanki citrus provides fresh fruit across much of the...»