1.
Ise; the old province and city around the Ise Grand Shrine
A region on the coast of Mie Prefecture, and the name of the old province there. It is known above all for 伊勢神宮, the most senior shrine in Shinto, which has drawn pilgrims from all over Japan for centuries.
In everyday speech the shrine and the place are usually referred to with the honorific お: お伊勢さん, お伊勢参り.
Common expressions
- 伊勢神宮: the Ise Grand Shrine
- お伊勢参り: a pilgrimage to Ise
- 伊勢海老: spiny lobster (literally "Ise shrimp"), a celebratory food
- 伊勢うどん: Ise udon, served in a dark, thick sauce
Cultural note
Every twenty years the shrine buildings are rebuilt from scratch in the 式年遷宮 ceremony, a practice often cited in Japan as an example of renewing tradition rather than preserving the original materials.