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Mie Prefecture and Nanto-cho posted Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Jonas and I recently were escorted around Mie Prefecture, Japan by our friend Rumika. She was kind enough to play tour-guide of her home town and surrounding area and we had one of our favourite trips since arriving.
We took the Kintetsu train line from Namba station to Matsusaka in Mie where Rumika met us with a CAR!!!
How exciting. It was our first automobile ride since arriving and I was in the drivers' seat. At least what I knew to be the drivers' seat which was actually the passenger seat.
Our first destination was to be Ise city and Ise Shrine; one of the most famous and sacred shinto shrines in all of Japan. We visited the Naiku (inner shrine - the grounds are huge) and walked over the sacred bridge spanning the sacred river Isuzu, onto the inner grouds. From there we followed the gravel path flanked with beautiful old trees along the river. There is a special stop for bathing and washing your hands in the river - a cleansing ritual as you approach the shrine buildings themselves.
Walking through the forest of trees we haven't the likes of before - they're so huge and beautiful and old. It occurs to us that as we approach the buildings - that we cannot enter. Only the shrine maids and maidens, monks and members of the imperial family are allowed to set foot inside these sacred buildings that are rebuilt every 20 years in the old tradition without nails of any sort. This shrine holds one of three sacred treasures of the imperial family. Ise is the home of a centuries old mirror given as a gift from the imperial family of China as a token and symbol of friendship. This mirror is shrouded with woven embroidered cloth so that no human eyes other than the royal family's can lay eyes on it. Since none of the family ever exercise this right, it hasn't been looked at for centuries. Each time the cloth wears away with time, it is covered over by still another layer. It is said that this mirror is home to some of the most important and impressive samples of Japanese embroidery in the world, but no one can ever see it because of the treasure it protects.
The buildings are surrounded with fence and only the tops are visibe. We did see these, said a prayer, and made a donation wish.
Rumika and I also bought good luck charms called Omamori. The entire experience was surreal, as the grounds, the river, and even the air had a feel of peace and serenity. Magic.
The neighbouring village was our next stop and Rumika took us to her old highschool hangout and we ate Ise Udon which is a special version of the staple noodle dish made from soya and fish sauce. Jonas and his - and mine.
Onward for the most special dessert. Akafuku is a red bean paste sweetened and made by hand. It's pressed onto a ball of crushed and sweetened rice. It's very rich and dense and hard to eat with chopsticks, but boy oh boy it's delicious. We've since bought some in Osaka from Takashimaya as it's a very famous dessert and is exported from Ise all over Japan.
The original headquarters and tea shop are in town and this was the setting beside the sacred river for a welcome rest and refuelling of warm fresh brewed green tea and the tasty treat.
There is a little village set in behind the tea and sweet shop where Dad was sent his Happy Birthday postcard. The name of the town is Okage Yokocho and it is filled with traditional little shops selling trinkets and treasures reminiscent of ancient Japan.
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