Toba, Japan: Walking By the Seaside

 The wind chill made it very cold, but it was a beautiful day.

 We couldn't figure out if this was a Japanese Inn or a private residence. Either way it was huge.

Ise, Japan: On the Streets of Okageyokocho

 It was during the New Year Holiday when I visited, so the streets of Okageyokocho were very crowded with periodic breaks in the crowd.

  Grilled oyster is one of the famous foods you can eat here. This was a very small food stall, but the little old lady running it knew what she was doing.

You can also eat grilled clams, which were also delicious!

There were a few stands selling air dried Mackerel. The vendor would grill some for samples and, of course, the smell of grilled Mackerel would attract the hungry buyers.

One vendor wrapping up the Mackerel a customer just bought.

Ise, Japan: Okageyokocho

 Okageyokocho is the street where you find the food and souvenirs. There are so many different things to eat! We didn't get very far before we found ourselves holding food in our hands.

 This is where you can find some croquette or "korokke" with Ise Ebi in it. It is a giant shrimp that resembles a lobster, but I found out it is more closely related to the shrimp. Just eat it, trust me you will love it! Otherwise, there is the regular "korokke" with meat and potatoes.

Some omamori that I bought from Ise Shrine! Now, where to put them?

Ise Shrine, Japan: Where the Trees End

 The trees are so tall that it is a little difficult to see where they end. I have no idea how long it took for them to grow, but I'm sure it is, at least, in the hundreds of years range.

This is the last of the inside of Ise Shrine, but don't worry we still have Okageyokocho to cover! It is the area where you can eat a variety of foods and find some fun souvenirs.

Ise, Japan: Amaterasu Oomikami

Ise Shrine Naiku there are enormous trees. I was surprised to see so many of them in one area!

When I saw these I felt like I had landed in a Ghibli movie.

If you peek around the fence after passing through this Torii gate you can see Amaterasu Oomikami's home. We can't get very close, but it is beautiful to see.

Ise, Japan: Ise Shrine Naiku's Main Building

 I noticed this path, because there weren't so many people. Everywhere else was crawling with people, but it was relatively quiet here.

 You can see all the people walking along the main path.

There was some kind of ceremony going on inside this building. I could hear the traditional flute music coming from inside. 

Only in Japan will you find shoes so neatly lined up side by side by everyone.

Ise, Japan: A River in Ise Shrine

 

The river in Ise Shrine (Naiku) is huge! This is the first time I have seen a big river running through the grounds of a shrine.

The water looks very clean and clear. If it wasn't so cold I would like to walk around in it, although I don't think that is allowed.

The combination of the rock and the water movements created an interesting pattern that I found appealing.

It almost feels like spring in this photograph, but I think the bare branches makes it obvious that it was winter when I visited.

I was surprised that more people didn't stop by the river. Maybe they were trying to beat the rush to the main areas of the Shrine.

The weather was perfect, even if was a bit cold and windy.

This is a must see for any of you planning to travel around Japan.

If you don't have the opportunity to travel around Japan yet, I hope these photographs will tide you over until you do.