Exploring the history and culture of Matsusaka before indulging in the ocean views and natural beauty of Ise-Shima
You’ve planned a trip that will begin in the city of Matsusaka, located right in the center of Mie. Day One will be all about exploring ancient buildings, reminders of the city’s past as a stage station during the shogunate era, before spending a relaxing night in the nature-rich part of the Ise-Shima region known as Okuise. Day Two will be more active, involving oceanside drives past complex ria formations. History, nature, and the ocean—you’ve packed all of it into this two-day road trip.
Exploring modern-day Matsusaka—and the land that shaped it
You’ve decided to stay at the Fairfield by Marriott Mie Okuise Odai, which is on the way from Matsusaka to the coastal town of Kihoku. It’s the perfect base for a road trip in this region.
08:00 Nagoya Train Station
10:00 Matsusaka City Museum of History and Folklore
12:00 Gojoban Yashiki
13:00 Lunch at Restaurant Cultivate
14:15 Matsuura Takeshiro Memorial Museum
17:00 Fairfield by Marriott Mie Okuise Odai
Day 1 Total Travel Distance 164.35km
Day 1 Total Travel Time About 3 hours and 40 minutes
Matsusaka may be best known for its beef, but the city is also full of historical charm. As a former stage station, Matsusaka has greatly contributed to cultural developments in Japan, both pre- and post-modernization. You’re looking forward to seeing what the city looks like today.
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You head south through Mie Prefecture along the Suzuka Mountains towards Matsusaka, a city that once bustled at the foot of the regional daimyo’s castle.
Yasujiro Ozu Memorial Museum: A must-go destination for cinephiles
A museum of local history and folklore stands on the foundation of Matsusaka Castle—the only part of the castle that remains. The entire second floor is dedicated to Yasujiro Ozu, one of the most renowned film directors in the world. From the ages of 9 to 19, Ozu lived in Matsusaka, and the museum is full of his mementos from that formative period, including letters and diaries.
You learn that before pursuing filmmaking, Ozu taught at an elementary school in the rural part of the city. There are other stories like this that give you a better sense of his character—truly a treasure hoard for an Ozu fan. The displays on the museum’s first floor relate mostly to local industry—such as the beautiful Matsusaka momen fabrics woven with threads dyed in various gradations of indigo—and the lives of the city’s residents.
With images of old Matsusaka still fresh in your mind from your museum visit, you make your way to the next destination: a preserved shogunate-era compound called Gojoban Yashiki that you can already see from the castle’s foundation.
Cultivate: A culinary and cultural center
Cultivating vibrancy and culture in Matsusaka
For lunch, you choose Cultivate, which offers a multi-course menu of mostly Chinese fusion. Owner Yuya Yamamoto tells you he chose the name because he wanted his restaurant to be a place that cultivates vibrancy and culture in Matsusaka.
There is a gallery where ceramics and other art are displayed, and the restaurant sometimes hosts live music. Ingredients are generally sourced from local smallholder farms. Every dish is served on beautiful dishware, including the popular dandan noodles.
You order the dandan noodles—served in a thick, spicy soy milk broth seasoned with ground homegrown white sesame seeds—and the weekly special, braised lean pork belly cooked in a red wine tomato sauce. The sea lettuce in the soup really deepens the flavor. It turns out it’s locally sourced, as is the pork. You realize Yuya’s interest in cultivation extends to the very soil of this land.
Matsuura Takeshiro Memorial Museum: Finding inspiration in a 19th-century adventurer
The wide-ranging achievements of Matsuura Takeshiro
Having experienced Matsusaka’s culinary culture, you head to the Matsuura Takeshiro Memorial Museum for something intellectually nourishing. Matsuura, who coined the name “Hokkaido” for Japan’s northernmost prefecture, was an adventurer who spent his final years surveying Mt. Odaigahara. As you browse the museum displays, you find yourself surprised at the variety of his achievements.
For example, not only did he make maps, he also published travelogues and accumulated a huge collection of research materials. He even wrote manga! A curator informs you that Matsuura’s maps are so accurate that it’s hard to believe he drew them without the use of satellites and drones. You find yourself inspired by this man who walked everywhere, inspired by a sense of adventure, and recorded everything he observed. Perhaps you can do a bit of adventuring and observing yourself during this trip.
You leave Matsusaka and drive towards the town of Odai, located at the foot of Mt. Odaigahara—which you just learned about. Have you been following in Matsuura’s footsteps without realizing it?
Deepening your local knowledge at Fairfield by Marriott Mie Okuise Odai
You check in and organize your belongings. There’s still a little time before dinner, so you decide to enjoy some complementary freshly brewed coffee in the Lobby Lounge while looking back on your day. There’s a Llibrary nearby displaying books related to the area and works of local craft.
Time flies by, and before you know it, you start to feel a little hungry. You consider your options. Yoshibei, a short walk from the hotel, serves grilled chicken smothered in a miso sauce—a Matsusaka specialty. Just a minute away from there is Tsujiman, which offers a range of Japanese dishes that make use of local ingredients, such as soba noodles infused with Odai green tea leaves. It’s nice to have options so close to the hotel.
Per Night Per Room from ¥15,730