Tsu (津)

Map

Getting There

• train
• bus
• car
• ferry

Best Times to Visit

• spring: Cherry blossoms at Tsu Castle and Sakakibara Onsen, along with pleasant walking weather, make spring especially rewarding.
• summer: Summer brings lush scenery and the peak season for sweet, juicy Hisai pears, while museums and temples offer indoor alternatives.
• autumn: October's Tsu Matsuri combines parades, music, dance, and food, while cooler weather suits historical sightseeing and gardens.

What's There

• architecture: Historic wooden temple halls, castle stonework, gardens, and traditional townscapes provide varied architectural interest.
• castle: Tsu Castle Ruins preserve impressive stone walls, moats, gardens, and a reconstructed turret in a central park.
• cherry blossoms: Tsu Castle Park and Sakakibara Onsen host attractive spring cherry blossoms and seasonal viewing events.
• culture: Museums, historic districts, Buddhist institutions, performing arts, and traditional festivals showcase regional culture.
• festival: Tsu Matsuri in October features parades, taiko, traditional performing arts, and Anotsu Yosakoi dancing.
• food: Tsu is known for oversized fried dumplings, eel cuisine, shrimp-tempura rice balls, pears, and regional tea.
• garden: Tsu Castle Park includes Japanese and Western gardens, while Senjuji offers traditional temple gardens.
• history: Castle remains, a major temple, a historic Buddhist temple, and MieMu present Tsu's extensive history.
• museum: MieMu displays natural-science specimens, archaeological materials, and cultural heritage from throughout Mie Prefecture.
• nature: Sakakibara Onsen and surrounding rural areas offer restorative hot springs and tranquil natural scenery.
• onsen: Sakakibara Onsen is a historic hot-spring destination celebrated for restorative waters and a peaceful rural setting.
• park: Tsu Castle Park provides landscaped public space for walking, gardens, stone walls, and seasonal scenery.
• seafood: Eel is a signature local food, with numerous specialist restaurants serving distinctive Kansai-style preparations.
• shopping: Local producers and merchants offer regional tea, pears, prepared foods, and other specialty products.
• shrine: Tsu Kannon, Tsu Hachimangu-related traditions, and the shrine beside the castle support religious sightseeing.
• temple: Takada Honzan Senjuji and Tsu Kannon are major Buddhist sites with significant buildings and observances.
• spiritual: Prominent Buddhist temples, shrine traditions, and longstanding hot-spring heritage create strong spiritual and contemplative appeal.

Specialties

• Tsu Gyoza (津ぎょうざ): Tsu Gyoza is a local specialty that originated in Tsu’s school-lunch program. It is a large, deep-fried dumpling made with a wrapper about 15 centimeters in diameter and is served by numerous restaurants in the city.
• Tsu Eel (津のうなぎ): Eel is one of Tsu’s best-known local foods, prepared in a distinctive Kansai-style manner. The city has many specialist eel restaurants, and the dish is widely regarded as a local soul food.
• Tenmusu (天むす): Tenmusu is a rice ball containing a piece of shrimp tempura. The tourism association identifies Tsu as the birthplace of this specialty, which was developed at a restaurant in the city’s Daimon district.
• Hisai Pears (久居の梨): Hisai pears are a regional agricultural specialty from the Hisai area of Tsu. They are known for tender flesh, sweetness, and abundant juice, with seasonal varieties available from summer into early autumn.
• Ise Tea (伊勢茶): Tea is among the regional products represented by Tsu’s local producers and merchants. The city’s tourism materials list tea producers and specialty teas from areas including Iseji and Yokoyama.