Honoring Ancestors During Obon: A Family Visit to Ise City
It’s Obon season. Generally, Obon lasts for four days from August 13th to 16th. My company has Obon holidays from August 14th to 16th. During Obon, families gather to honor their ancestors and visit graves together. My wife and I also visited the graves in my wife’s hometown, Ise City in Mie Prefecture. Ise is about a 1 hour and 30-minute drive from Nagoya.
Ise Jingu Shrine
Ise is home to the famous Ise Jingu Shrine. Ise Jingu is the highest shrine among all shrines in Japan and is considered the tutelary deity of the Japanese people. Commonly known as “O-Ise-san,” Ise Jingu is formally referred to as “Jingu.” Ise Jingu enshrines Amaterasu Omikami, the deity of the Imperial family, and has historically been closely associated with the authority of the Imperial family and the court. Even today, the Emperor and Empress visit the shrine, and it is customary for politicians, including the Prime Minister, to visit at the beginning of the year. Due to its status as the ancestral deity of the Emperor, many visitors come, making Ise Jingu a central place of faith in Japan.
The deity enshrined at the inner shrine (Naiku) of Ise Jingu is Amaterasu Omikami, a female deity. It is said, though without evidence, that if a couple or lovers visit the shrine together, the deity might become jealous and their relationship could suffer. This seems to be a superstition, so feel free to visit as a couple. However, if any discord arises after your visit, I take no responsibility. Please visit at your own risk!
Is it okay to walk on the gravel?
The path to the shrine is covered with gravel, and walking on it gives a cleansing sensation, so you should be able to arrive at the shrine feeling spiritually purified. Just be sure not to walk in the center of the path. The center of the path after passing through the torii gate is considered the “sacred center” and is believed to be the path of the deity.
Akafuku Mochi: A Traditional Treat from Ise
From the front of Uji Bridge at the inner shrine of Ise Jingu, the street that continues straight towards Sarutahiko Shrine is called “Oharai-machi.” Midway through Oharai-machi is “Okage Yokocho,” an alley filled with many souvenir shops and restaurants, making it enjoyable to stroll after visiting the shrine. In the middle of Oharai-machi is the main store of the famous Ise confectionery, Akafuku Mochi. It consists of soft, chewy rice cakes topped with a sweet, smooth red bean paste. The red bean paste, made from adzuki beans, is often slightly sweetened and serves as the signature element of this treat. This main store opens at 5 a.m. every day and offers Akafuku Mochi sweets with hojicha tea on tatami mats inside. Akafuku Mochi is a must-try when visiting Ise.
Futamiura
About a 20-minute drive from Ise Jingu is Futamiura, home to Futami Okitama Shrine. This shrine is famous for its “Meoto Iwa” (Wedded Rocks). It’s a spot you should definitely visit if you’re making a pilgrimage to Ise. Meoto Iwa consists of two rocks, large and small, bound together with sacred ropes. They also serve as a torii gate to worship the spirit stone of Sarutahiko Omikami and the deity of the sun. It is also said to symbolize marital harmony.
See you again.