Ise, Mie

This article is about the city in Mie Prefecture, Japan. There is also a town in Hiroshima Prefecture with this name, see Kumano, Hiroshima.
Ise
伊勢市
City

Naigu in Ise Shrine

Flag

Seal

Location of Ise in Mie Prefecture
Ise

 

Coordinates: 34°29′N 136°43′E / 34.483°N 136.717°E / 34.483; 136.717Coordinates: 34°29′N 136°43′E / 34.483°N 136.717°E / 34.483; 136.717
Country Japan
Region Kansai
Prefecture Mie Prefecture
Government
  -Mayor Kenichi Suzuki
Area
  Total 208.52 km2 (80.51 sq mi)
Population (September 2012)
  Total 123,129
  Density 619/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Oyane-zakura
Phone number 0596-23-1111
Website www.city.ise.mie.jp
Ise City Hall

Ise (伊勢市 Ise-shi), formerly called Ujiyamada (宇治山田), is a city located on the eastern tip of Kii Peninsula, in central Mie Prefecture, on the island of Honshū, Japan, facing Ise Bay. Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō Shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing title — Shinto (神都) — that roughly means "The Holy City" and literally means "Capital of the Kami").[1] Most of the city is within the geographic limits of Ise-Shima National Park.

As of September 2012, the city has an estimated population of 129,125 and a population density of 619 persons per km². The total area is 208.53 km².

Neighboring municipalities

Description

Ise's history is directly linked to that of Ise Grand Shrine. Ise Grand Shrine is separated into two main parts: The Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine. Despite the names, these are actually two physically separate shrines approximately six kilometers apart.

Modern Ise began with small settlements that sprung up around the two shrines. During the Edo period, Ise was a popular destination for pilgrimages which were called "o-Ise-mairi" (literally, "Coming to Ise") and thus these settlements grew larger and developed into small villages. The village around the Inner Shrine was named Uji and the village around the Outer Shrine was named Yamada. Because of the religious importance of Ise Grand Shrine, the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period viewed the area as politically significant and installed a magistrate in Yamada.

History

During the Meiji period, these two villages were merged and designated as a single municipal entity. The resulting amalgamated name of Ujiyamada represented the merged villages. The name Ujiyamada stood for 66 years and, to people who live in the area, is still synonymous with Ise.

Between 1890 and 1930, two train lines were constructed which are known today as the Kintetsu Yamada Line and the JR Sangū Line. These railways connect Ujiyamada to Osaka, Nagoya, and the rest of Japan and were responsible for a large increase in pilgrims and tourists visiting Ise Grand Shrine.

The renaming phase took some time around the city. For example, it took four years to rename the main JR station in town, Yamada Station, to Iseshi Station. Some things were never renamed such as Ujiyamada Station, Ise's largest train station, and Ujiyamada High School, Ise's first high school.

Significant events

Economy

Famous products

Industry

Factories

Transportation

Railway

Ise is easily accessible by rail due to the popularity of Ise Grand Shrine as a tourist attraction. Kintetsu offers direct service to Ise from Kyoto, Osaka and Nagoya in the form of regular express trains (once or twice an hour) and limited express trains (usually twice an hour). The ride from Osaka takes about 135 minutes (105 minutes on the limited express), the ride from Nagoya takes about 100 minutes (85 minutes on the limited express). JR Central, offers direct service to Ise from Nagoya once an hour on the Mie Rapid, which takes about 90 minutes.

Lines and stations

Kintetsu
JR Central

Bus

Sanco operates a number of buses to and through Ise. The main bus hub in town is in front of the JR exit of Iseshi Station. Sanco used to manage a tram service around Ise, in particular a line called the "Shinto Line" that ran from Iseshi Station to the Inner Shrine. It was closed in 1961 and replaced by buses.

Roads

Expressways

Ise-nishi IC • Ise IC

Toll roads

National routes

Air

Ise has a direct ferry link to Central Japan International Airport.

Education

Local attractions

Uji Bridge, entrance to the Inner Shrine
Meoto Iwa, the "wedded rocks"
Miya River cherry blossoms
Okage Yokocho

Festivals

Noted people

References

  1. In waka rhetoric Makurakotoba, the word Kamikaze was used to introduce Ise.
  2. USAAF Chronology: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES, JULY 1945

External links

Media related to Ise, Mie at Wikimedia Commons

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