national park on the Shima Peninsula, central Honshu, Japan. Its two main cities are Ise, famous for its Shintō shrines, and Toba, a seaport that guards the southern entrance to Ise Bay (Ise-wan). The bay has many islands and is renowned for its Mikimoto cultured-pearl industry. Pearl Island in Toba Harbour is the site where Mikimoto Kōkichi first succeeded in producing a cultured pearl at the beginning of the 20th century. The Toba area now produces the great majority of Japan's cultured pearls. Between Ise and Toba is Futamigaura beach and resort, famed for the two rocks called Meotoiwa, or “Wedded Rocks,” which one legend says sheltered the creators of Japan, Izanagi and Izanami.