2010-01

As travelers depart the south exit of Ise City Station, they will see “Geku Sando” the traditional main street that leads directly to “Geku”, the outer shrine of Ise Jingu. On weekends during this time of year, people walking along Geku Sando, will find that the street transforms into a local style market where they can find all kinds of food and drink that are as distinct as they are delicious.
Since Ise is tucked between the mountains and ocean, there are many local people selling their goods that are very indicative of the local fare. Travelers and locals alike marvel at the many different kinds of fish, seaweed, and vegetables on display.

Whether you are looking for some vegetables or fish to take home or looking to soak up some local culture, this is a great place to start your day. And if you are like me and can’t wait until you get home to test some of the offerings, don’t worry, there are plenty of things you can eat or drink while you stroll from stand to stand. If you are a fan of seafood, then this is a place for you. You can try grilled scallops on the half-shell, broiled and seasoned dried fish, or a hot cup of miso soup chock full of seaweed. All of these edibles taste particularly yummy during the recent cold weather. And if the food doesn’t put a smile on your face, the warmth and kindness of the local sellers certainly will!

The morning market is open from 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM every Saturday and Sunday through the end of February.

And if you make it to the market, do yourself a favor and  make your way toward the south end of Geku Sando near the front of the Ise-city Tourism Office, to get a special souvenir—a good luck charm made of wood recycled from Ise Jingu.

These rare charms are not sold but are given to visitors each Saturday and Sunday. There is a limited supply each day and charms are distributed from 10:00 AM until supplies run out. There is a one charm per visitor limit and this special offering will end on Sunday, February 14.

Traditionally, Japanese people visit their local shrines and temples on new year’s day to give thanks for the previous year and wish for happiness, health and success in the coming year. If you have lived or visited Japan during the new year’s season, there is no doubt you witnessed the masses of people who flock to shrines and temples in a flurry of activity and celebration as they say goodbye to the old and welcome the new.

Tucked within the southeast part of Ise City lies Ise Jingu, the most sacred of all Shinto shrines in Japan. Within Ise Jingu, Amaterasu Ohmikami, is enshrined. She is the sun goddess and one of the principal Shinto gods or Japanese “kami”. Her name, Amaterasu, loosely translates into English as “the god that lights the world from heaven”. Amaterasu Ohmikami is the most respected god for the Japanese people and is still believed by some to be in direct lineage to the Japanese royal family. In many ways, the history of Ise Jingu is the history of Japan. It is long, rich and filled with tradition.

An unforgettable and truly Japanese experience awaits any visitor to Ise Jingu during the new year’s holiday since each year, approximately one half a million people visit Ise in order to pay their respects at Jingu. If you are one for crowds or being in the middle of the action, then Ise City is the place for you. Besides the serene beauty and nature that surrounds Ise Jingu, the Okageyokocho and Oharai Street areas near the entrance to Ise Jingu are filled with shops, restaurants and museums to satisfy almost any visitor.

However, one does not have to be a student of Japanese history or folklore to enjoy the splendor of Ise Jingu throughout the year since Ise Jingu is open every day of the year. I personally love to visit when it is very quiet—usually at dawn. Visitors can normally enter the shrine area at first light or soon after. I feel early morning is the best time since visitors can enjoy walking through the beautiful gardens and forest and connect to the divine no matter what religion they may or may not have. (The picture above was taken on an early morning last July. No one was around at that time—a somewhat rare occurrence for Jingu!). I have often heard it said by visitors to Ise Jingu that they cannot put their finger on just what is so special about it however, they all agree, IT IS an extraordinary place.

Things will begin to quiet down this week and even more so in the few remaining days of January. After that, I plan to begin my usual visits to Ise Jingu again to find the peace and serenity that only Jingu can offer. Please check back in a few weeks and I will post more about one of my favorite places in Ise! For more information about Ise Jingu, please click this link.

After the Christmas holiday has come and gone, people quickly start preparing for one of the biggest events on the Japanese calendar, new years. For most people in Japan, the new years holiday is a time to clean our houses, cook special foods, decorate our houses and cars with special new year’s ornaments, write new years greeting cards to all our friends, family and business associates and of course, visit our relatives.

Cleaning our houses is key since most people, myself included, need to literally and symbolically get rid of the unwanted things in our lives to prepare for the new year. We always want to start everything fresh from January 1st. After cleaning our houses, many families attach this kind of ornament above their front doors to protect the house and family from any unwelcoming energy, while at the same time, inviting positive energy into our houses. Each town uses its own method or materials to construct these ornaments and generally people take them down after January 7th. In contrast, generally, people in Ise keep the ornaments on their houses for the entire year. I don’t know why, but I aim to find out!

If you are visiting the Ise area during the new year season, please pay special attention to the houses and shops and how they decorate. You can definitely sense the spirit of Japanese people celebrating the new year.