Actually, I went on a business trip to Matsusaka the other day, but I got sick at the business trip destination. I somehow finished my work in Matsusaka, and I was supposed to return to Tokyo on the Shinkansen at night as planned, but since I was feeling so bad, I decided to stay overnight at “Tsu” at my own expense and return home.
Then my wife worried and rushed from Tokyo… so I decided to stay another night and rest.
(By the way, it takes about 2.5 hours from Tokyo to Tsu.)
However, the next day, thinking it would be a waste to be lazing around in the hotel, we arranged for a rental car and went to Ise Jingu.
Ise Jingu Naiku
I left the driving entirely to my wife, and while I was knocked out in the car, we arrived at Ise Jingu.
It seems that there are two parts to Ise Jingu, the Geku and the Naiku, and this time we decided to visit the Naiku.
It is considered appropriate to go to both the Gekuu(Outer Shine) and the Naiku(Innner Shine).
Although they are called Outer and Inner, the Inner Shrine is not inside the Outer Shrine, the two are separate.
However, it seems a bit far to walk, but parking are full so if I start driving, maybe can’t park my car. If you are sightseeing, it seems a good idea to stay near Ise-shi Station and use the bus.
Ise Jingu ‘s official site in English
https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/
Since it’s quite a walk from the parking lot, I, not feeling well.
Okage Yokocho (Okage street)
The approach from the parking lot to Ise Jingu is a shopping street, or a street for food tasting. Unfortunately, I had no appetite at all.
However, I managed to drink some sweet sake. There were several liquor stores, and it seems that I could have enjoyed drinking raw sake on the spot, so I regret my poor health… I couldn’t drink a drop. (Drinking on the spot = a service where you can buy sake at the store and drink it on the spot)
Eventually, it was lunchtime, and as I was tired of walking, I had lunch at a Udon noodle shop.
A place called “Ise Udon Okunoya”.
The set I ordered was Ise Udon and hand-molded sushi.
As for what kind of dishes they are… When I looked it up, I found a good explanatory page created by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, so I’ll quote it.
【Ise Udon】
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/iseudon_mie.html
In the Ise food culture region, it has been said that since ancient times, they have made thick udon noodles without taking the time to stretch them, and ate them with miso dumplings. As the Edo period when Ise visits became popular, shops were established where the pilgrims could eat at any time by continuing to boil the noodles and immediately eat them with tamari sauce.
【Hando molded sushi】
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/tekone_zushi_mie.html
The dish known as “tekonezushi” originated from fishermen filleting their catch on the boat and mixing it by hand. It was mainly consumed in coastal regions, but today, it has been selected as one of the hundred local cuisines of agricultural, mountainous, and fishing villages, and has become one of the representative local dishes of Mie Prefecture.
Ise Udon and Handmade Sushi Set… It was about ¥1,100 or ¥1,500.
Ise Udon is a warm, soft and squishy udon with a thick sauce… this coincidentally suited my unwell body perfectly. It permeates. When your stomach is not in good condition, it is important to have something soft that is good for digestion and absorption, and somewhat salty.
Thanks to this Ise Udon, my health has well.
I continued to stroll around lightly, but despite being an ordinary Saturday without a long weekend, I was surprised by the crowd. I thought it was a great tourist spot. I saw very few foreigners, and looking at the numbers on the parking lot, it seemed like people were mostly from within the country, like Tokyo to Nagoya to Okayama, and it felt like they were within an overnight or two-night stay.
I ate Akafuku at the Akafuku main store in the end.
They were selling it at the Nihonbashi exit when I was leaving Tokyo… but eating at the main store is definitely delicious.
My health has improved by Ise Udon ? , so I decided to stop by Matsusaka on my way home. (To be continued)