Okage Yokochō, Shopping street in Oharaimachi, Japan
Okage Yokochō is a reconstructed shopping street in the Oharaimachi district of Ise, designed to evoke the atmosphere of the Edo and Meiji eras. The dark wooden buildings line a narrow lane with paper lanterns, timber shopfronts and hanging signs that recall earlier centuries.
The street was created in 1993 by entrepreneur Masutane Hamada, who commissioned replicas of historical buildings to bring back the architectural character of earlier centuries. The project aimed to recall the time when pilgrims stopped in this area on their way to the Ise Shrine.
The name refers to the old custom of mutual help among pilgrims traveling to the nearby shrine, when strangers offered food and shelter to one another. Shops serve regional treats like freshly pounded mochi rice cakes and local snacks that visitors can sample as they walk.
Shops open around half past nine in the morning, giving enough time to walk through the lane even on busy days. Buses from Ujiyamada Station stop nearby at Naiku-mae, from where the street is a short walk away.
The project received the BCS Prize for its efforts in architectural reconstruction, bringing the form of old shop houses back into the cityscape. A small museum within the street displays Japanese myths and legends through dioramas and panels.
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