The Top 5 Must-Have Souvenirs from Mie

If you’re visiting Mie Prefecture, you’re definitely going to want something to take home to remember your trip. But with an almost unlimited number of amazing souvenirs to choose from, where do you even start? With that in mind, I’ve listed the top five most popular souvenirs as well as a few of my own recommendations.

Written by Adam Douglas

Table of Contents

　・Beer and Sake

　・Omamori Good Luck Charms

　・Hand cream with pearl ingredients produced in Ise-Shima

　・Ise Tea

　・Blanca Shell Leines

　・Okage Dog

　・Snoopy

　・Banko Ware Earthenware Pots

　・Wrap-up

Beer and Sake

With so many choices you’ll definitely find a beer to fall in love with

Or perhaps you’d like some of Mie’s sake?

They even have a fun sake sampler pack in a handy size

Let’s start with the fun stuff: beer and sake. Mie Prefecture has a number of local craft beer breweries, both large and small. Along with Himitsu Brewery, a rising star in the beer world, started just in 2022, there’s the world-famous Pale Ale from Isekadoya Brewery, a new branch of an ancient Mie-based store. With so many delicious beers available, you may have trouble choosing one. If so, just go by the labels, which are all pretty cute, to be honest.

Fans of sake (also called Nihonshu) are also in for a treat, with a wide selection of delicious local sakes to choose from.

Omamori Good Luck Charms

An omamori good luck charm from Shinmei Shrine dyed with soil from Ise- Shima

Omamori good luck charms in the shape of randoseru, Japanese elementary school bags, from Yuki Shrine

If you’ve been to a shrine in Japan, you’ve probably seen the priest selling little cloth trinkets with a strap attached. These are called omamori and they’re good luck charms. Inside each little cloth bag, there’s a paper talisman, which can bless the holder, ward off evil, or even prevent natural disasters. People carry them around with them in their daily lives and it’s common to see them connected to bags and in cars. When you bring one back for a special person in your life, it shows that you were thinking of them on your trip. With talismans for road safety, safe childbirth, success in school, general good luck, and more, choose one based on what you want to come true. Small enough to fit in your hand and with so many different colors and patterns that reflect Japanese culture, they also make wonderful souvenirs for that reason alone.

Hand cream with pearl ingredients produced in Ise-Shima

Hand cream samples ready for you to try

Various cute packages to choose from

The Ise-Shima region of Mie Prefecture is famous for pearls. In fact, it’s the first place in the world to successfully farm them. Capturing this heritage, this hand cream, blended with pearl ingredients from Ise-Shima, is available at Ise Bijin Honpo, located in front of the Ise Jingu Naiku in Oharai-machi. This store prides itself on a carefully selected range of high-quality products. Among these, the hand cream stands out for its excellence; its texture blends smoothly into the skin. You’ll notice a real difference in your skin after using it. They make elegant souvenirs, of course, but why not treat yourself? 

Ise Tea

Even the packaging is unique

There are a variety of small, fun packages too

Among Japan’s many green tea-producing areas, there’s Mie Prefecture. Known as Ise Tea, people have been drinking this delicious green tea far and wide since olden times. Mie Prefecture runs north to south, with different areas specializing in different types of tea. The Hokusei region has kabusecha and sencha while Chunansei specializes in a deep-steamed type of sencha. Whether you choose a refreshing sencha or the deep-steamed type, with its rich body and aroma, they all pair delightfully with any kind of meal or dessert. Japanese green tea is representative of the culture. Why not take some home and remember your trip every time you take a sip?

Blanca Shell Leines

Go ahead and eat them yourself (or give them as presents)

Whether you buy one or a whole box, there are many different kinds to choose from

You know what goes great with Ise tea? Mie Prefecture’s famous madeleines, Shell Leines from Blanca. As you might expect from the name, these Shell Leines, beloved as a famous confectionary from Toba City, actually have all-natural pearl shell calcium inside. Crisp on the outside, and moist on the inside, you won’t believe the buttery flavor. Along with plain, there are unique Ise tea and aosa nori seaweed flavors. All under ¥200, you can even buy them at Mie Prefecture supermarkets. How cool is that?

Okage Dog

Hello!

With each made by hand, the faces are all a little different

Oharai-machi

The street leading up to the entrance of Ise Jingu is known as Oharai-machi. While walking around and eating typical things like Akafuku and Ise udon, you may happen to catch sight of products featuring cute little dogs. This is the Okage Dog mascot. In the Edo period (1603-1868), when people were too ill to make the pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine, they sometimes sent their pet dogs instead. We recommend the little figures, key rings, and omamori good luck charms, which are particularly cute.

Snoopy

Off in a corner of Oharai-machi is Snoopy Village Ise

A small rest area

You might not expect to see a popular Western character like Snoopy in such a traditional Japanese setting, but that’s just what you’ll find at Snoopy Chaya – a Fusion of Snoopy and Japan from the popular syndicated comic strip Peanuts, in Ise. In December 2023, Snoopy Chaya expanded into a whole shopping area called Snoopy Village Ise. Along with Snoopy Chaya, which specializes in a Japanese sweet bean jam called anko, there’s now Snoopy Chocolate and Woodstock Nest, featuring Snoopy’s little yellow bird pal. As befitting the name, Woodstock Nest sells pudding and sweets.

Banko Ware Earthenware Pots

Cooks shouldn’t pass up the chance to get an authentic Banko Ware pot

One of Yokkaichi’s famous traditional crafts is called Banko-yaki. Banko Ware earthenware pots are the most famous and they occupy about 80% of all earthenware pots sold in Japan. Incredibly durable and fire resistant, with a variety of shapes and styles to choose from, they’re perfect for making rice. If you’ve never had rice cooked in an earthenware pot, there really is a difference—and there really is a difference when it’s a Banko-ware earthenware pot.