Toba City is a little known but beautiful part of Japan. It is a glimpse of a way of life long gone from the metropolitan areas. The culture here revolves around the sea, the island and the mountains. Toba, in Mie Prefecture, is just 1 hour 30 minutes or so on the Kintetsu Line from Nagoya. Opposite Toba Station is the Todaya Hotel occupying prime position on the bay. The sunrise photo above was taken from the bedroom window. The hotel is an excellent place to base oneself for a couple of days of exploring the local area. If you have heard of Toba City then it is likely to be because of Toba's most internationally renowned brand name, 'Mikimoto'. Mikimoto Pearl Island and the museum, are a 5 minute walk from the hotel. The museum is insightful and tells the incredible story of one man's determination and vision created Mikimoto Pearls. A short 15 minute ferry ride from Toba is the fishing island of Toshi-jima. Here, you really feel as if you are in a different world. The ferry arrives at Momotori and just by the ferry port is a Oyster BBQ....restaurant is not the right word...'hut' is a better description. The guests bring there own beverages and can eat as many oysters as they can in the allotted time space. We crossed over the Island to the town on the other side, Toshi Town. On the way we stoped of at a look out point with 'lay lines' (spelt with an 'r')! As we neared Toshi there was an wonderful shrine with an incredible array of colours. The lookout point and 'ray' lines. The beautiful colours in the local shrine just outside of Toshi Town.The day finished with a kaiseki dinner at the Todaya Hotel. For those who are not seafood fans the hotel caters to all tastes and dietary restrictions. Day two we drove from Toba City along a beautiful stretch of road aptly named the Pearl Road. We were heading to Osatsu where 800 female divers, known as Ama, dive for up to 9 hours a-day for seafood. Ama culture dates back 1000's of years. It is quite inspirational to hear their historic stories. In the age of diversity and women-onomics here is a culture that Japan should be thoroughly proud of. Ama diver's weight. We had an incredible lunch in an Ama's Hut. As our host rightly pointed out, Ama culture is the definition of sustainable fishing. Our host also mentioned she does a vegetable BBQ for those who do not eat seafood.We returned to the Todaya Hotel late afternoon for a well deserved dip in the hot springs at the hotel. We then headed into Tobo City (a 5 minute stroll from the hotel) to sample a local pub. The quality and innovation of the food was as good as anything in Tokyo at a similar price point. The evening was rounded off with ice-cream at the local ice cream parlour (and bar).On day three we were scheduled for a hike up Ao No Mine Mountain. Canadian PM Trudeau hiked it whilst in the area for the G7 summit in Ise, very close to Toba. However, why walk when you can run? I persuaded one of the our local hosts to run it. It was a little under 4km with a climb of 3oo metres. The day before had been heavy rain however the path was fairly easy under foot. As we reached the top the path revealed the tranquil Shofuku-Ji Temple. Even here, way above the sea, the sea is ever present. The temple is dedicated to the local fisherman and their boats. International travellers are increasingly demanding authentic experiences. Authenticity means different things to different people. Toba and the surrounding area gives the traveller a chance to understand a way of life that revolves around the sea, the islands and mountains. It is truly a fascinating experience. As it is 'off the beaten path' it is about as authentic as it gets. It is a world away from the robot cafes and tourists traps of Tokyo and Kyoto. If you want a glimpse if daily life in this island nation then Toba is as good a place as any to see it.
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