On Thursday, September 3, 2026, the private beaches of "Ryoso Umi no Cho" and "Glamp Ocean Iseshima" in Ise City, Mie Prefecture will host a one-night cultural exchange event, "Ise-Shima x Okinawa – Musubi no Hibiki." Both properties are run by And Resort, which operates ryokan and hotels across Mie, Wakayama, Tottori, and Shizuoka Prefectures.
Theme: "Two Seas Joined by One Heart — Ise-Shima's Okage-sama and Okinawa's Gratitude"
Ise-Shima has long carried on a spirit of "okage-sama" (gratitude for what one owes to others), while Okinawa holds its own tradition of thankfulness. The event brings together the culture and prayers each region has nurtured, joining them on a beachfront stage to create a new kind of moving experience. Although Ise-Shima and Okinawa may look like distant regions at first glance, the two have long been connected through myth and the sea.
The giant clam enshrined at Futami Okitama Shrine, among the largest of its kind in the world, was raised in Okinawan waters and is also tied to the mythology of Sarutahiko Okami, who appears in the Kojiki. This giant clam was dedicated by the late Fusao Sugitani, an honorary chief priest who once served at Okinawa's Naminoue Shrine and founded Okinawa Shrine. At Okinawa's Okinogu Shrine, the Koshin Festival, which honors Sarutahiko Okami as the "god who opens the way," is still carried on today, giving Ise-Shima and Okinawa a shared thread of faith in the same deity. Folklore studies have also pointed to links between the myth of Sarutahiko Okami, Okinawa's giant clams, and the maritime culture of the southern seas, suggesting that since ancient times the sea has served as a path connecting people, culture, and faith.
Carrying this long history forward while honoring the traditions and culture of both Ise-Shima and Okinawa, the event was created with a wish to offer a "new travel experience." On the day of the event, traditional performing arts representing both Ise-Shima and Okinawa will gather on the beach, offering a special one-night-only experience where sound, light, and prayer come together as the sea shifts from dusk into night.
A "Stay-Type Event" Made Possible by the Accommodations Themselves
Ryoso Umi no Cho and Glamp Ocean Iseshima are working to create new stay value by combining "accommodation" and "cultural experience," making the most of their locations overlooking the sea.
At this event, overnight guests will be able to take in Japan's traditional culture up close from a special vantage point. Beyond simply experiencing local culture, the event aims to convey a new appeal of travel that leaves visitors wanting to return to Ise-Shima again.
Event Overview
- Event name: Ise-Shima x Okinawa – Musubi no Hibiki
- Date & time: Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 7:00 PM
- Venue: Private beach of Ryoso Umi no Cho and Glamp Ocean Iseshima (Ise City, Mie Prefecture)
- Content:
- Okushima Ryujin Taiko drumming
- Okinawan traditional performing arts: Shimabukuro Youth Association eisa dance
- Ise Hiryukai hand-held fireworks
- Stalls: chinsuko grab game, goldfish scooping, super ball scooping, and more
- Participation fee: Free — open to non-guests as well
- Rain plan: In case of rain, only the Okinawan eisa dance and Okushima Ryujin Taiko drumming will be held indoors at Ryoso Umi no Cho
- Accommodation: From ¥27,500 per person (one night with two meals, Akoya Japanese-style room for four guests; hot spring bathing tax of ¥150 charged separately)
About Ryoso Umi no Cho
Ryoso Umi no Cho is situated on the Ikenoura cape overlooking Ise Bay, in a location well suited for sightseeing around Ise-Shima and Toba. It sits next to Awamiko Shrine, a subordinate shrine of Ise Jingu's Inner Shrine, and to "Oshin no Hama Beach," known as a filming location for the NHK television drama "Oshin." In summer, its private beach, "Ikenoura Seaside Beach," draws visitors for its beautiful white sand.
Official website: https://www.uminochou.com/
About Glamp Ocean Iseshima
Glamp Ocean Iseshima opened in July 2020 under the concept of "falling asleep to the sound of the waves and waking to the sound of the waves — a luxurious, comfortable glamping stay that needs no preparation or gear." Spread across the private beach watched over by Awamiko Shrine, its domes offer hotel-like comfort and service inside while keeping the surrounding nature as it is, so guests can take in the great outdoors with all five senses.
Official website: https://glampocean.jp/
