Ise, Mie

Neighboring municipalities

• Mie Prefecture
• *Toba
• *Shima
• *Minamiise
• *Watarai
• *Tamaki
• *Meiwa

  Description

History

Significant events

• January 1, 1889: Uji and Yamada villages combined; Ujiyamada Village was established.
• September 1, 1906: Upgraded to city; Ujiyamada village became Ujiyamada City.
• October 12, 1909: First train line to Ujiyamada completed by JNR.
• December 20, 1930: Direct service to and from Ōsaka begins through Kintetsu.
• March 17, 1931: Ujiyamada Station opens.
• July 28, 1945: During World War II, 93 Twentieth Air Force B-29 bombers drop incendiaries, burning 39% of the city.
• November 20, 1946: Ise-Shima National Park is established.
• January 1, 1955: Ujiyamada City was renamed to Ise City and absorbed the villages of Toyohama, Kitahama, Shigō and Kida. The reason for this change is to avoid the naming confusion with the later-formed cities of Uji in Kyōto Prefecture and the city of Yamada in Fukuoka Prefecture. The name "Ise" was chosen because it was already recognized throughout Japan due to Ise Grand Shrine.
• September 26, 1959: The Ise-wan Typhoon, Japan's strongest-recorded typhoon, hits Ise and surrounding areas.
• November 1, 2005: Ise absorbed the towns of Futami and Obata, and the village of Misono to create a new and expanded city of Ise.

  Economy

Famous products

• Akafuku: Mochi covered in sweet red bean paste.
• Ise Udon: Udon soaked in soy-based sauce.
• IseWashi: Washi for Ise Grand Shrine.

  Industry

Factories

• Yokohama Rubber Company
• Kyocera
• NGK

  Transportation

Railway

Lines and stations

• Yamada Line: • • • • •
• Toba Line: • • •

• Sangū Line'': • • • • • • • •

  Bus

Roads

Expressways

Toll roads

• Ise Futami Toba Line
• Iseshima Skyline

  National Routes

Air

Education

• Kogakkan University

  Local attractions

• Ise Grand Shrine: It is sometimes called "The Shrine of the shrines" to indicate its status as the most sacred Shintō shrine. Legend has it that Yata no Kagami, one of the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan, is housed somewhere within the grounds. The entire Shrine is completely rebuilt from scratch every 20 years using fresh lumber that is brought to Ise and then ceremonially carried through the streets on its way to the Shrine during an okihiki. The Shrine is in its 62nd reconstruction, meaning this tradition has been carried out for at least 1,240 years. The next reconstruction will be in 2033.
• * Outer Shrine : Sometimes called toyouke-daijingū, it is dedicated to Toyouke-Ōmikami, the goddess of food, clothing, and shelter. Pilgrims are supposed to visit the Outer Shrine before visiting the Inner Shrine. However, if the visitors time in Ise is limited they are encouraged to skip the Outer Shrine because the Inner Shrine is the far more famous of the two. Then again, this makes the Outer Shrine an ideal place for a tranquil walk through well-preserved nature as it is far less crowded. The beautiful pond that is immediately adjacent to the Shrine grounds is a particularly nice walk. The Outer Shrine is very close to Ise-shi Station. From the station, one should exit from the JR side, walk straight down the road, and arrive there within five minutes.
• * Inner Shrine : Sometimes called kō-taijingū, it is dedicated to Amaterasu-Ōmikami, the sun goddess who is sometimes called the "supreme kami." This shrine sees many visitors from around Japan on a daily basis; there is a sharp increase during the New Year's season. People traditionally visit a shrine on New Year's Day, but since it will be the first visit of a new year, special consideration is given to the choice of shrine. Some people travel to shrines that may be more significant than those in their own area, and this inevitably leads people to Ise Grand Shrine, particularly the Inner Shrine. The inner sanctum of the main shrine area within the Inner Shrine is off-limits to visitors, thus only the rooftop of the structure that houses the kami can be seen. This image widely represents Ise Grand Shrine.
• * Cultural facilities: These institutions provide a deeper understanding of Ise Grand Shrine. They are all housed at the top Mt. Kurata which is part of the pilgrimage route between the Outer Shrine and the Inner Shrine.
• ** History Museum chronicles the creation and development of the Shrine.
• ** Fine Art Museum displays works by artists and painters donated during the reconstruction ceremony that is held once every 20 years.
• ** Agricultural Museum : Since the Outer Shrine is dedicated to Toyouke-Ōmikami, the goddess of life's basic needs, this museum covers how agriculture fulfills these needs.
• ** Library contains various volumes dealing with Shintō and Ise Grand Shrine. Open to the public but generally used by researchers and Shintō priests.
• * Oharai Machi : A small sidestreet that runs between Prefectural Route 32 and the entrance to the Inner Shrine with buildings that are made to look historical. The part of the road closer to the Inner Shrine is filled to the brim with vendors, particularly those selling omiyage. This road is home to the main akafuku shop.
• * Okage Yoko-chō : This area branches off of Oharai Machi about halfway between Prefectural Route 32 and the entrance to the Inner Shrine. It has a large concentration of eateries. Taiko performances can be heard here sometimes, usually on the weekends. Both Oharai Machi and Okage Yoko-chō are extremely popular among tourists visiting the Inner Shrine and will often be just as crowded, if not more crowded, than the Shrine.
• The Wedded Rocks: Located at Futami Okitama Shrine in northeastern Ise. The rocks have been enshrined and are thus considered gods. The picture was taken at high tide. During low tide the sea is completely out and the rocks look less impressive. Visitors are encouraged to go during high tide.
• Ise-Shima National Park
• * Ise-Shima Skyline: A 16.3 km-long scenic mountain road that runs between Ise and Toba. One-way with a car costs ¥1,220, with a motorcycle it's ¥860.
• * Mt. Asama : At 555m, this is the tallest mountain in Ise; its two TV towers make it very distinctive. At the top there is a lookout point with a large paved parking lot that is accessible from the Ise-Shima Skyline road. Near the parking lot are some buildings and a pool of hot water to soak your feet in while you take in the beautiful view. The summit can also be reached by a hiking path up the mountain that starts just north of Asama Station.
• * Kongōshō Temple : A Buddhist temple near the top of Mt. Asama. It is accessible from the Ise-Shima Skyline road.
• Miya River
• * Riverbank Park : A famous cherry blossom viewing area, making it a very popular destination during the prime blooming season which is in early April. Also has a big large fireworks display in mid-July. The park is on the east side of the river near the Watarai Bridge.
• * Love River houses public leisure and sports facilities for baseball, soccer, basketball, and tennis. The park is on the east side of the river near Route 23.
• Edo Wonderland Ise : A theme park with an Edo-period theme, featuring samurai, a ninja maze, and a ghost house. Located in Futami.
• Kawasaki: A lane of buildings built to resemble the old merchant quarters in Ise. Found along the Seta River north of Ujiyamada Station.
• Shintomiza : An independent movie theater showing a variety of art-house Japanese and foreign films. A short walk south of Miyamachi Station.

  Festivals

• Ise Festival: Ise's largest festival, held for two days in the mid-October. It celebrates all things Ise.
• Okihiki : Festival in which the timber that will be used to reconstruct Ise Grand Shrine is ceremonially carried through the streets. Each neighborhood of Ise city is responsible for carrying its share of the load, and the ceremony is spread out over many weekends to allow all neighborhoods to participate. This festival is only held for the three consecutive years starting eight years before a Shrine reconstruction. For example, the Okihiki festivals for the next Shrine reconstruction in 2013 were held in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Okihiki for the Outer Shrine is held in May and starts on the Miya River. Okihiki for the Inner Shrine is held in late July and starts near the Isuzu River.
• Cherry Blossom Festival is held during cherry blossom blooming season on the Miya River.
• Miya River Fireworks is held in mid-July.
• Tennō Festival is held usually on the Sunday evening of the three-day weekend in July, near Kawasaki. Well known for goldfish fireworks in the evening.

  Notable people

• Takao Fujinami, politician, cabinet minister
• Hiroshi Fujiwara, musician
• Kon Ichikawa, film director.
• Tomoya Kanamori. Professional soccer player
• Katué Kitasono, poet, photographer
• Shinichiro Koyama, professional baseball player
• Hiroki Mizumoto, soccer player. Has played for the Japan National Soccer team. Born in Ise.
• Shun Morishita, professional soccer player
• Yōko Natsuki, actress
• Daisuke Nakai, professional baseball player
• Mizuki Noguchi, runner. Marathon gold medalist in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. Grew up in Ise.
• Eiji Sawamura, baseball player. Member of the Japanese Baseball Hall-of-Fame. Born in Ise.
• Ōoka Tadasuke, samurai. Served as Chief of Police under the shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune. Served as Magistrate of Yamada in the Edo period.
• Isao Takahata, director. Co-head of Studio Ghibli. Born in Ise.
• Naoki Hatta, professional soccer player
• June Yamagishi, musician
• Kenta Nishimoto, professional badminton player