Okage Yokocho

The bustling atmosphere of the Edo Era pilgrimages to Ise Jingu has been recreated

Okage Yokocho is a lively area that is inside the shrine town (Oharai-machi) near Naiku (Inner Shrine) of Ise Jingu. There are buildings from the Edo and Meiji Eras and the shops sell delicacies and souvenirs unique to the Ise area.
Address
52 Ujinakanokiricho Ise-shi, Mie
Phone
(0596) 23-8838

About

Every day is like a festival! A spot for cuisine and shopping!

Okage Yokocho is located in one part of Oharai-machi. Transferred and recreated buildings that represent the Ise-ji Route from the Edo Era to the Meiji Era are all lined up, and the streets have that distinct character. Within its approximately 13,200 sq. meters, there are about 50 food stores and souvenir shops that can only be found in Ise-Shima where you can get a taste of the liveliness of touring Ise Jingu and the activity of the Edo Era.

Experience the traditional culture of Ise and the world of ancient Japanese mythology

The food and shopping go without saying, but experiencing the traditional culture of Ise is also one of Okage Yokocho’s attractions. There is a variety of workshops available throughout the year where you can create things according to the season such as candles and bonsai. Also, Okage-za Shinwa (Mythology) no Kan is a facility where you can experience the world of mythology through videos and Japanese paper dolls. At the Shinwa Theater, the essence of Japanese mythology is introduced in an easy-to-understand way on a large screen through media including animation. At Shinwa-no-Mori which is a domed space with the image of a primeval forest, 6 famous scenes from Japanese mythology are displayed through Japanese paper dolls. It lasts about 30 minutes, and you can enjoy with your eyes the world of living mythology.

After visiting Ise Jingu, take a break at Akafuku

When it comes to a famous product of Ise, one has to say Akafuku Mochi. The main shop for Akafuku Mochi is close to the entrance of Okage Yokocho, and there are always a lot of people there. In the open-air interior, freshly-made Akafuku rice cakes can be enjoyed together with bancha and matcha tea. Once a month in the early morning in Ise, there is a custom for visiting Ise Jingu known as Tsuitachi Mairi. At the main shop of Akafuku Mochi, on the first day of each month (except New Year’s Day), confections which change according to the season known as Tsuitachi Mochi are sold in limited quantities. To obtain these Tsuitachi Mochi, a lot of folks line up early on the 1st. This is also a common sight at Okage Yokocho.

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