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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Shima
志摩市
Spend one night in Shima for pearl farms, a Spanish theme park and coastal walks; it's a half-day add-on from Ise, not a base.
Shima is a coastal city on the Shima Peninsula in Mie Prefecture, known for pearl cultivation and watersports. Most visitors come for a day trip from Ise or a single night to visit Parque Espana, swim at Goza Shirahama, or tour the Ago Bay pearl rafts. The city is compact but spread out: you need a bus or car to connect the sights.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 志摩市
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid, crowded beaches), Jan–Feb (cold)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119 · Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English) 050-3816-2787
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–600 |
| Ise-ebi (spiny lobster) set meal | ¥3,000–6,000 |
| Matsusaka beef steak | ¥5,000–10,000 |
| Bus ride (local) | ¥200–500 |
| Parque Espana entry | ¥5,400 (check) |
| Pearl farm tour | ¥1,500–3,000 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- Kintetsu limited express to Kashikojima via Toba, about 2 h
Typical fares
- Kintetsu limited express Nagoya → Kashikojima
- about ¥4,500, about 2 h (check)
- Bus Ugata → Goza Shirahama
- about ¥600, about 60 min (check)
- Taxi Ugata → Kashikojima
- ¥2,000–3,000
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bus from Ugata Station covers most sights; a one-day bus pass is available. Taxis are expensive. Car rental at Ugata Station gives flexibility.
See and do
Known for
- Pearl cultivation (Ago Bay)
- Parque Espana theme park
- Goza Shirahama beach
- Ise-Shima National Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Ise Grand Shrine | Kintetsu limited express from Kashikojima to Isuzugawa, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| Toba | Kintetsu local from Ugata, about 20 min | About 40 min |
| Matsusaka | Kintetsu limited express from Ugata, about 1 h 10 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Ugata Station area
- Closest to the train station; bus connections to beaches and Parque Espana.
- Kashikojima
- Resort hotels and Amanemu; quieter, near Ago Bay pearl farms.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Buses are infrequent: check the timetable before heading out.
- Parque Espana closes early (check the official site for seasonal hours).
- Goza Shirahama gets crowded in July and August.
Shima is safe. Watch for heatstroke in summer and jellyfish at the beach. Buses stop running early: plan your return.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Shima yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pearl cultivation (Ago Bay)
- Parque Espana theme park
- Goza Shirahama beach
- Ise-Shima National Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Shima City official website: www.city.shima.mie.jp/
- Shima Tourist Association: www.kanko-shima.com/
- Wikivoyage: Shima, revision 4845511 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4845511
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Shima志摩市
ここまでお願いします
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police110
- Fire and ambulance119
- Japan Visitor Hotline (24 h, English)050-3816-2787
The US has a consulate in Nagoya; most other countries have consulates in Osaka or embassies in Tokyo.
Carry cash; smaller shops and buses may not accept cards.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/shima). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.