Hello – back to Japan today to have a little bit more of a look at the Ise area – check out the first installment here if you missed part one!
We stayed three nights in Ise and it was worth it. We could take our time seeing the local sites and even revisited a few areas that we particularly enjoyed.
We stayed at this crazy cool guesthouse/backpackers called “Kazami”
Five minutes (if that) from the train station and extremely hard to miss!!!
Inside was just as mad –
The guesthouse was great – friendly people, impromptu music nights and art nights. There was a kitchen we could cook in and a comfy lounge area to relax in. A really good way to meet other travellers too!
On our second day in Ise, we took the little train further down the tracks to find the famous Wedded Rocks or “Meoto Iwa”
It was a nice little walk through a sleepy town to get to the sea
The rocks themselves were quite impressive, despite the gloomy day
They represent Izanagi and Izanami, the married deities who created Japan and kami, according to Shinto mythology.
The larger rock is about 30 feet tall and is said to be Izanagi, the male, while the smaller rock, standing around 12 feet, is the female Izanami. The rope that bonds them in matrimony is a shimenawa, a sacred Shinto object often placed over shrines and gates to ward off evil spirits. The rope uniting the Meoto Iwa frays fast due to the wind and waves (as you can imagine), and must be replaced three times per year. Of course, special ceremonies are held each time the rope is replaced.
It was a nice little walk around the area – lots of frogs!! Frog carvings and statues!
Always time for a tourist shot! 🙂
Have a great weekend everyone!
Cheers!
Every time you post pictures of Japan, I just want to cancel all our other plans and go there first. It’s so “other” and lovely.. and everything has a story. I really cannot wait! I would love to live in Kazami, it looks like a perfect little hostel… makes me think about some things I’d like to do in the guest room. 😉
It’s a fabulous place to visit!! So different from our culture which is why its so attractive to me!