Grand Mercure Ise-Shima Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive resort hotel in Shima, Mie Prefecture, set within Ise-Shima National Park on a hill overlooking the ria coast. From Thursday, December 31, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027, it will serve a special buffet with dishes such as roast beef sushi finished by chefs at a live kitchen, celebratory fisherman's soup with grilled dried fish, and toshikoshi soba (New Year's Eve noodles). On New Year's Eve, fireworks will light up the night sky over Ise-Shima, creating a special moment to welcome the new year that suits year-end gatherings.
The hotel has prepared programs for the festive season, when the atmosphere and culture of Japan can be felt, including activities that connect guests with the local community in addition to the hospitality of the hotel staff. The stay is designed to let guests enjoy the time from the end of one year to the start of the next in a relaxed and fulfilling way.
1. Special Year-End and New Year Buffet
From Thursday, December 31, 2026 to Sunday, January 3, 2027, the hotel serves a buffet with special menus for the year-end and New Year holidays, including roast beef sushi and celebratory fisherman's soup with hamayaki-style grilled dried fish. At the live kitchen, guests can watch roast beef sliced thinly, piece by piece, and shaped into sushi. The dinner buffet on Thursday, December 31 also includes toshikoshi soba. It is a chance to look back on the year and welcome the new one with family and loved ones.
Roast Beef Sushi (Dinner)
Moist, tender roast beef is layered over sushi rice shaped with red vinegar, which adds a mellow acidity and richness. The flavor of the meat and the aroma of the red vinegar come together in harmony, and the clean aftertaste unique to red vinegar brings out the taste of the meat.
Celebratory Fisherman's Soup and Hamayaki-Style Grilled Dried Fish (Breakfast)
Fisherman's soup (ryoshi-jiru) is a local dish long enjoyed in fishing towns and on boats, made by simmering fish scraps left over from filleting, freshly landed seafood, root vegetables, and more in one hearty pot. It is served at breakfast together with hamayaki, dried fish grilled over charcoal to bring out the natural flavor of the ingredients.
Buffet Restaurant "Le Sensoriel" Details
- Period: December 31, 2026 (Thursday) to January 3, 2027 (Sunday)
- Hours:
- Breakfast: 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM (last entry 9:00 AM)
- Dinner (three fixed seatings of 90 minutes each): 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, 8:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- Location: Buffet Restaurant "Le Sensoriel" (2nd floor)
- Price: Included in all-inclusive plans (room-only plans are not eligible)
- Details: https://grand-mercure-iseshima-resortandspa.jp/restaurant/le-sensoriel/
- Note: The menu may change depending on the season and ingredient availability.
2. New Year's Eve Fireworks Over Ise-Shima
On Thursday, December 31, 2026, about 250 fireworks are scheduled to be launched by Tsujiden Enkaten (辻傳煙火店).
Tsujiden Enkaten has been based in the Ise area for generations, with more than 140 years since its founding, and has been involved in launching fireworks throughout that time. Valuing the skills and experience passed down over the years, it provides fireworks for local festivals and events that stay in people's hearts across generations. It also shares the appeal of Ise, where history and culture have lived on since ancient times, through the traditional culture of fireworks, and works to spread and pass on local culture. It has been involved since the first edition in 1953 (Showa 28) of the Ise Jingu Hono National Fireworks Festival (伊勢神宮奉納全国花火大会), which is counted among Japan's three major competitive fireworks festivals.
Fireworks Details
- Date: December 31, 2026 (Thursday)
- Time: From 8:00 PM
- Location: South side of the hotel (outdoor area)
- Price: Included in the accommodation rate
- Note: The fireworks may be canceled depending on weather and other conditions.
3. Amazake, First Calligraphy, and New Year's Cards: In-House New Year Events
Inside the hotel, activities such as serving amazake, first calligraphy of the year (kakizome), and making New Year's cards (nengajo) are planned. The stay lets guests experience customs unique to Japan.
Complimentary amazake: Guests are welcomed with amazake at check-in.
First calligraphy experience: Write your resolutions for the year on a clean sheet of white paper.
New Year's card making experience: Create an original New Year's card using colorful pens.
About Grand Mercure Ise-Shima Resort & Spa
Guest rooms overlook Matoya Bay
A refined restaurant atmosphere
Relax in the open-air hot spring bath
This all-inclusive resort hotel is surrounded by the rich nature of Ise-Shima National Park. It is located near Ise Jingu, long affectionately known as "Oise-san," amid the beautiful terrain of the ria coast, with a sweeping panorama of Matoya Bay and Izo-no-ura. In addition to dinner and breakfast buffets that make use of Mie Prefecture ingredients and Matsusaka beef, the hotel has an on-site kaiseki restaurant, Bettei Matoya (別亭まとや), where guests can enjoy genshi-yaki (原始焼き) grilling and fresh Mie ingredients such as Matoya oysters. Other facilities include the wood-education (mokuiku) kids' room Matoya no Mori (的矢の杜), which families with children can enjoy, "The Matoya Village," an experience field for enjoying the four seasons, open-air hot spring baths, a sauna with löyly, and a lounge. The hotel offers special, relaxing time for a variety of stay styles.
- Address: 939-6 Kasatori, Matoya, Isobe-cho, Shima City, Mie 517-0204
- Phone: 03-6627-4731 (Reservation Center)
- Price: From ¥24,000 per person per night, all-inclusive (based on two guests sharing a room, tax and service charge included)
- Access: About 15 minutes by car from Kintetsu Ugata Station. A free shuttle bus runs between Ugata Station and the hotel.
- Official website: https://grand-mercure-iseshima-resortandspa.jp
Information is as of October 14, 2026. All photos are for illustration purposes.
