Ise – Sheldon’s trip to Japan
Ise
An important destination for anyone on an architectural pilgrimage (and obviously a religious one) is to the town of Ise in Mie Prefecture, where one will visit perhaps the most important shrine in Shintō. Ise Jingū (伊勢神宮) attracts millions of tourists and pilgrims annually, and visiting the shrine at least once in one’s life – called ise-mairi (伊勢参り), sangū (参宮), or okagemairi (お蔭参り) – is an important event, in a similar vein as Hajj is in Islam. It is well recognized for shikinen sengū (式年遷宮) where the shrines and bridges are rebuilt every twenty years for purification with traditional Japanese joinery that does not use nails or glue in the construction. There are several words for Shintō shrines, but a jingū is regarded as the most important type of shrine and usually has some sort of association with the Imperial Family. Three of such jingū include Ise Jingū, Atsuta Jingū in Nagoya, and Meiji Jingū in Tokyo, which is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife.
Ise Jingū actually consists of two shrine areas dedicated to different gods, totalling around 125 shrines. The Outer Shrine (Gekū 外宮) is located in the centre of modern-day Ise, down the street from Ise Station. Gekū is where the goddess of agriculture and industry, Toyouke-Ōmikami, is enshrined. When coming for ise-mairi, it is customary to visit the Outer Shrine first to pay one’s respects. Located beside the Outer Shrine is a museum called Sengūkan dedicated to explaining the history and the architecture of the shrines. It includes wooden scale models and a life-sized reproduction of the main building (shōgū 正宮) housing the Gods, as well as displays some of the ceremonial items, manufacturing methods, and construction processes. Photos are not permitted inside, but the museum provides relaxing seating spaces inside and out overlooking a pond for contemplation.
A short distance away is the Inner Shrine, Naikū (内宮), which is the most important shrine area as the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu-Ōmikami, is said to dwell there. It is believed that the Japanese Imperial family are descendants of the Sun Goddess, and only they are permitted to see the main shrine building and sacred item it protects (Amaterasu’s mirror). The most important building is the Kōtai Jingū (皇太神宮) where Amaterasu resides. There are several buildings that make up the Kōtai Jingū, but the three important ones are hidden behind a series of wooden fences (tamagaki 玉垣) not visible to view from regular people. When visiting, one is not permitted take photographs once crossing to the other side of the torii gate, but it is possible to see some of the outer court’s buildings. When I visited, a man in a suit, accompanied by a priest, was allowed into the outer portion of the Kōtai Jingū and prayed fiercely as onlookers watched. This main shrine sits next to an identical rectangular plot referred to as the kodenchi (古殿地). Leading up to the 20-year period, a new series of identical shrine buildings will be constructed on these adjacent sites to take its place as a new, purified shrine. The older buildings will be disassembled and have its pieces of lumber shipped to various shrines around the country to be incorporated into their structures as a sacred piece of construction.
When visiting Naikū, you first pass under a wooden torii gate at the start of Ujibashi Bridge. Bow first before walking under the gate and keep to the right side. When crossing a torii or the bridge you must always stay to the right side as the middle is where the gods are supposed to walk. Ujibashi Bridge passes over the gently flowing Isuzu River. The river is important and sacred; farther inward are stone steps leading down to it where shrine maidens used to bathe to purify themselves. Once you leave the bridge you pass under another torii and should bow to it on the other side. You’ll find yourself in a garden area with gravel walking paths and mountains rising in the background. Most temples and shrines are surrounded by nature and are a great place to go to escape the city for some quietude. You’ll also find a small structure with white drums of saké donated by various saké breweries as offerings. The alcohol is regarding as an important part of Shintō to connect to the gods. It’s not uncommon to find small bottles of saké beside small shrines as an offering to that local deity.
Before visiting any of the buildings, one must purify themselves. Most temples and shrines have a structure with flowing water called a temizuya or chōzuya (手水舎) for such a pur
pose before visiting sacred places. Normally, there’s a stick with a ladle on one end that you dip into the water basin. You pour some water on your left hand first, then onto your right hand; then you pour some water into your left hand a take a small swig in your mouth and spit out on the ground to purify your mouth. Finally, you tip the handle down so the water spills onto the handle to clean it before putting the ladle back in its spot for someone else. Due to the pandemic, however, many of these places have been turned off; but some places replaced ladles with tubes or bamboo poles with holes in them for the water to pour out so you can wash yourself before a shrine visit.
Oharaimachi & Okage Yokochō
Once one has paid their respects at Ise Jingū, you can visit the shopping area just outside Naikū’s outer torii, Oharaimachi (おはらい町). In the past, undertaking a pilgrimage to famous shrines and temples was an arduous journey, and those who managed to visit Ise Jingū would be worn out and hungry. Areas popped up along the main approach to these shrines that provided lodgings, food, and other goods. All shrines and temples have a route to the complex called sandō (参道), and over time many of these routes saw restaurants and shops be established – some even becoming formal commercial main streets. The most common name people may be familiar with is omotesandō (表参道), meaning “front visiting path”, which leads up to the front. The one in Tokyo leading up to Meiji Jingū became its own high-end district with a wide, zelkova tree-lined street and flagship stores of expensive fashion brands designed by famous architects.
Oharaimachi is an 800m long street lined with many stores and restaurants in old wooden buildings from the Meiji and Edo periods. Branching off the street is another area called Okage Yokochō (おかげ横丁). It is marked by a stone lantern and lucky cat sculpture (manekineko), and was built in 1993 as an extension of the shopping area that gives a sense of what these commercial areas were like in the past. Some buildings are new structures based on old designs, while others are originals that were moved from other parts of the prefecture. The taiko-yagura drum tower stands at the intersection of some of these streets and features live drum performances on occasion. Although it can get busy with tourists, there are a variety of shops selling local crafts like cotton and indigo products, regional foods like tekone-zushi (soy sauce-marinated tuna or bonito on a bed of vinegared sushi rice), Ise udon, Akafuku-mochi, hemba-mochi, all kinds of seafood including lobster (called Ise-ebi or Ise shrimp in Japanese), and Matsusaka beef (the most expensive of the three, high-quality wagyū beefs). You can also pick up some sweets like uirō, which I brought back for my co-workers to try. It’s pleasant to walk around and explore different shops and foods, though it can get quite crowded with long lines at some popular stores like Akafuku. Tabearuki (eating while walking) is permitted in this area (walking while eating is seen as rude and severely discouraged in some places), and it can be nice to take a snack down to the path along the Isuzu River for a peaceful rest.