Family Friendly Fun at Shima Spain Village in the Ise Shima Area of Mie Prefecture

The Ise Shima Area of Mie Prefecture is a place packed with fun activities and attractions for families with children. One of the highlights is Shima Spain Village, a theme park that recreates the exotic atmosphere of a Spanish town with attractions, rides, parades, character shows, and restaurants that people of all ages can enjoy.

Written by John Asano

-Table of Contents-

・Shima Spain Village

・Live Show at Cibeles Plaza

・La Tomatina

・Amigo Balloon

・Gaudi Carrousel

・Splash Montserrat

・The Pyrenees Inverted Rollercoaster

・Festive Atmosphere

・Dining Options Galore

・Obake Hunter The Great 360-degree Battle

・Santa Cruz Street

・Feliz Cruise

・The Xavier Castle Museum

・Hotel Shima Spain Village

・Other Places of Interest in the Ise Shima Area

・Wrap Up

・Information

・How to Get There

Shima Spain Village

Shima Spain Village, also known as “Parque Espana,” is a theme park with Spanish flair. The park features multiple rollercoasters and various rides making it a fun day out for families. While the park is quite popular during weekends and holidays, we only had to wait 5-10 minutes for most of the rides during our visit on a lovely autumn Saturday in September.

Statue of King Philip II at the Mayor Plaza

Live Show at Cibeles Plaza

Soon after arriving at the park, there was a live street show near the Cibeles Plaza close to the entrance of the park. This street musical called “Tesoro de Oro” features a group of treasure hunters traveling in search of treasure. It was an entertaining start to our day at Shima Spain Village.

Street musical in front of the fountain

La Tomatina

First, we started with the gentler rides near the Fiesta Plaza. The motif for this attraction is La Tomatina, the famous tomato throwing festival in Valencia, Spain. This ride is perfect for little ones, who can enjoy a thrilling, spinning tomato ride in a teacup that moves in a figure-eight motion.

Riding the giant tomato at La Tomatina

Amigo Balloon

Stroll through the air just like you were in a balloon. We enjoyed this gentle ride which offers visitors a chance to relax and take in the park’s scenery. It is a great way to get an overview of the whole park.

About to take off on our balloon adventure

Gaudi Carrousel

This ride takes me back to my childhood with rides at my local beachside carnival. Set in the fantastic world of renowned Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), who designed the La Sagrada Familia Church in Barcelona. The wooden horses take you around a dream-like atmosphere with lights and sounds.

A nostalgic ride to relive your childhood

Splash Montserrat

For the thrill seekers, there are the big rollercoasters. Take the plunge with this exciting log ride around Montserrat, a beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat near Barcelona. We enjoyed the leisurely pace of this ride with the log boat slowly bobbing along the water until suddenly, the journey was topped off with a thrilling dive from the summit through splashing water.

View of Splash Montserrat from the Fiesta Plaza

The Pyrenees Inverted Rollercoaster

The highlight for many at Shima Spain Village is this inverted rollercoaster, which is designed after the famous Pyrenees Mountain range along the Spanish/French border. This ride is only for thrill seekers with speeds of 100 km/h through the 1,234-meter-long twisting and winding formations of the Pyrenees.

Festive Atmosphere

At around 11:30 a.m., there was a parade down the main street called “Parque Espana Parade Espana Carnival”, a parade themed after famous Spanish festivals and Spanish culture. It is a fun chance to dance together with the members of the parade, who invited the kids from the crowd to join in on the festivities.

Note: The carnival is currently on hiatus and will resume from 10 February 2024.

Parade Espana Carnival along the main street

Flamenco dancers at the parade

Visitors can also enjoy a character musical show at the Colosseum called “Patio del Canto”, which introduces the various characters of the park.

Note: This is also currently on hiatus and will resume from 10 February 2024.

Character musical show at the Colosseum

Dining Options Galore

After watching the parade, we grabbed some lunch at the Chico Chico Character Café. There is something for everyone at Shima Spain Village with a great selection of food at the park, including traditional Spanish cuisine along with popular choices like steak, pizza, hamburgers, and Japanese food.