Okage Yokocho, Ise

Shibuya246 · 1 August 2010 · 20 photos

After visiting the shrines I walked back along Oharai-machi and Okage Yokocho, the old shopping streets that lead up to the Naiku.

The buildings are all wood in the Edo and Meiji styles, and the street was busy with people on a summer afternoon, stopping for snacks, sweets and souvenirs.

A busy shopping street with crowds and old shopfronts — Oharai-machi on a busy summer afternoon.

Shops and banners along a crowded old street — Banners and shopfronts all the way along.

A street stall with red banners and snacks — Plenty of places to stop for a snack.

A shop counter with traditional signs and goods — Small shops full of local goods.

A craftsman writing at a table in a shop doorway — Calligraphy being written in a shop doorway.

A large wooden sign for a restaurant against the sky — Restaurant signs above the street.

Wooden two-storey shop buildings along a street — Everything is built in the old style.

A shop with long white noren curtains — White noren curtains at a shop entrance.

A busy shop selling wooden goods — Crowds at one of the craft shops.

The wooden upper floor and balcony of an old building — The details on the upper floors.

A street stall with banners and a menu board — Another snack stall.

A wooden building with white lanterns hung along the eaves — Lanterns along the eaves.

Looking down the long street of wooden buildings with hills behind — Looking down the street with the hills behind.

Sake barrels stacked in front of a shop — Sake barrels stacked outside.

A large wooden shop building with a gold signboard — The big shop with its gold sign.

Visitors sitting on benches under a shop's eaves — Taking a break in the shade.

A shopfront with colourful banners and a small shrine — Colourful banners at the entrance to Okage Yokocho.

People resting at benches in a shaded courtyard — The square in the middle of Okage Yokocho.

A shop with a red awning and a wooden sign — One last shop on the way out.

It is the best place in Ise to try akafuku mochi and Ise udon after a morning at the shrines.

I took these photos in August 2010 and only got round to posting them in 2026.

Visiting today · Mie, Kansai

Visiting Okage Yokocho and Oharai-machi, Ise, Mie today

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027

Added by Shibuya246, separate from the original post above. Facts are checked every quarter against the sources below. Check opening times and prices before you go.

What it is: Oharai-machi is the stone-paved street leading to Ise Jingu's Inner Shrine (Naiku). Okage Yokocho is a cluster of Edo- and Meiji-style shops and eateries off it, including Akafuku, known for its akafuku mochi.
Getting there: From Ise-shi or Uji-Yamada Station, take a bus bound for Naiku-mae (about 15–20 minutes). Get off at Jingu Kaikan-mae for a 1-minute walk, or at Naiku-mae.
Hours: Okage Yokocho is roughly 9:30–17:30 (Aug–Sep to 18:00, Nov–Feb to 17:00) and open year-round. Times vary by shop, and Akafuku's main store opens much earlier.
Admission: Free.
Tip: Visit the Inner Shrine first, then eat on the way back. Akafuku's riverside main store by Uji Bridge is the classic stop for mochi and tea.

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Sources: Okage Yokocho English map (Jul 2026) · Okage Yokocho – Ise City Tourism Association · Oharai-machi – Visit Mie · Okage Yokocho – Kanko Mie

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