Mie

Mie Prefecture lies in the southeast of the Kansai region and has a long coastline along the Pacific Ocean. Mie is most well-known for its religious and spiritual heritage: it is the location of the Ise Jingu Shrine, the most important Japanese Shinto shrine, as well as of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage. The prefecture is also known for its seafood and high-quality Matsusaka beef. Mie's location, slightly off the main tourist routes leading from Osaka and Kyoto to Nagoya and Tokyo, means that it has not received the international attention it deserves. It has a stunning variety of pristine nature and history across distinctive sub regions, including Ise Shima and Higashi Kishu.