Transforming the Outer Shrine Path into the 'Prologue to Ise Pilgrimage' - The Launch of the New Organization 'Outer Shrine Path Project Team' to Implement 'Shopping Street 2.0'

The Outer Shrine Path Development Association (Location: 6-4 Honmachi, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, President: Takashi Yamamoto) has officially launched a new organization called the Outer Shrine Path Project Team (GPT) on July 14, 2026, to promote the attractions of the Outer Shrine Path in anticipation of the 63rd Shikinen Sengu. They have also appointed the popular travel influencer couple 'Ryoma and Mai' from Mie Prefecture as the Outer Shrine Path Ambassadors 'Reiwa's Guides' to jointly promote the path. Moving forward, Ryoma and Mai will share the attractions of the Outer Shrine Path, which can be experienced by walking, through SNS and videos nationwide.

Activities

The Outer Shrine Path Project Team has organized the attractions of the Outer Shrine Path into '7 Experiences' and will communicate them in stages, from an easy-to-understand introduction to a deeper understanding, tailored to the target audience and media.

1. 'Reiwa's Guides' Project - Video and SNS Promotion by Ryoma and Mai

Ryoma and Mai will promote the '7 Experiences' of the Outer Shrine Path as the Outer Shrine Path Ambassadors 'Reiwa's Guides' through TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms. They will capture the unique aspects of the Outer Shrine Path, such as how to spend time before and after visiting the shrine, the food, history, and atmosphere of the town, from their perspective. This will create video content that will make people who are not familiar with the Outer Shrine Path want to visit and walk through it, and will be delivered nationwide.

2. 'Reiwa's Outer Shrine Path' Project - Updating Guidebooks and Web Information

The Outer Shrine Path Project Team will update the information about the Outer Shrine Path, which is already introduced in guidebooks and on websites, to make it appealing to visitors in the Reiwa era. They will position the Outer Shrine Path as the 'Prologue to Ise Pilgrimage' and communicate the experiences of preparing the mind before visiting the shrine, historical and cultural experiences, the joy of food unique to the Outer Shrine Path, and the charm of the town where new and old stores and people interact, in an easy-to-understand way as 'Reiwa Experiences that make you want to walk.'

3. 'Outer Shrine Path Archive' Project - Deeply Communicating History, Culture, and Spirituality

The Outer Shrine Path Project Team will carefully communicate the history, culture, and spirituality of the Outer Shrine Path, as well as the stories behind them, through reading content such as note, which cannot be fully conveyed through videos or guidebooks. They will delve deeper into the '7 Experiences,' verbalize the culture of Ise Pilgrimage that begins with the Outer Shrine Path, and the food culture that has been nurtured in front of the torii gate of the Outer Shrine, where Toyouke Omikami, who governs food, is enshrined, and preserve the history and culture of the Outer Shrine Path for the future.

Outer Shrine Path note: https://note.com/gekusando_gpt

Outer Shrine Path 7 Experiences

The Outer Shrine Path Project Team has defined the attractions of the Outer Shrine Path as the following 7 experiences.

① Purification - The experience of switching from daily life to worship

People who arrive at Ise City Station head towards the Outer Shrine, seeing the torii gate and lanterns lined up in front of the station. By passing through the torii gate and walking guided by the lanterns, they create a time to switch their minds from daily life to worship.

② Composure - The experience of calming the mind before worship

The Outer Shrine Path is a path with a calm atmosphere, unlike tourist spots that emphasize bustling activity. The more you walk, the more your mind calms down, and you prepare for worship at the Outer Shrine. Such time itself is an experience unique to the Outer Shrine Path.

③ History - The experience of feeling the history of Ise Pilgrimage that begins with the Outer Shrine

Based on the history that 'Ise Pilgrimage starts from the Outer Shrine,' walking the Outer Shrine Path allows you to experience the footsteps of past worshippers. There are also facilities around the area, such as the Sengu Museum and the Ise City Historical Museum, where you can learn about the history of Ise.

④ Quality - The experience of savoring the spaciousness

You can walk the path at your own pace, slightly away from the crowds and hustle and bustle. In the calm atmosphere of the town, you can enjoy the trip to Ise at a leisurely pace.

⑤ Food God - The experience of feeling the food culture related to Toyouke Omikami

Toyouke Omikami, who governs the meals of Amaterasu Omikami, is enshrined at the Outer Shrine. Toyouke Omikami is the god of food, and the area in front of the Outer Shrine has been deeply connected to 'food' since ancient times.

⑥ National Food - The experience of enjoying the path where food from all over Japan gathers

In addition to Ise's food, the Outer Shrine Path is also home to stores that deliver the value of food and living from all over Japan. The overlapping appeal of food from different regions in front of the food god is also a unique enjoyment of the Outer Shrine Path.

⑦ New and Old - The experience of the intersection of tradition and the new town's movements

The Outer Shrine Path is not only a path for tourists to walk on but also a path of life that the people of Ise use every day. New stores are also born in the historical landscape, and the overlapping of tradition and the new town's movements is what makes the Outer Shrine Path unique.

Background of the Initiative

The Outer Shrine Path is a path leading from Ise City Station to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine and has been welcoming travelers as the 'starting point of Ise Pilgrimage' since ancient times. In particular, since the opening of the Sanju Station, now Ise City Station, of the Sangu Railway in the 30th year of the Meiji era, the street leading from the station to the Outer Shrine has developed as a gateway for pilgrims visiting Ise by train. In the late Meiji period, a tram line connecting the front of the Outer Shrine and the Futami area was also opened, and in the early Showa period, there were 25 inns, as well as restaurants and souvenir shops lining the path from the station to the Outer Shrine, showing a bustling scene that was even called one of the 'Three Great Inn Streets of Japan.' The front of the Outer Shrine was not only a transit point for pilgrimage but also a place where people visiting Ise would stay, eat, prepare for their journey, and spend time before and after visiting the Outer Shrine. The experience of calming the mind, touching history, and savoring the food and atmosphere of the town along the way to pilgrimage has been a value that the Outer Shrine Path has had since ancient times.

Since the last Shikinen Sengu was held in 2013, at least 500 more rooms have been added to the area around Ise City Station, and the scenery of the station is greatly changing with new hotels opening soon. This can also be seen as a sign that the role of the Outer Shrine Path as the 'starting point of Ise Pilgrimage' is once again gaining importance in the Reiwa era. Therefore, this time, we have started this initiative to widely and strongly promote the attractions that the Outer Shrine Path has had since ancient times to visitors and to improve the stay experience and tourist satisfaction in Ise.

About the Outer Shrine Path Ambassador 'Reiwa's Guides'

Ryoma and Mai are popular travel influencers from Mie Prefecture with a total of approximately 900,000 followers. They are a couple consisting of 'Ryoma' from Suzuka City and 'Mai' from Matsusaka City, who share the attractions of tourist spots across Japan through SNS and other platforms. This time, the Outer Shrine Path Project Team has appointed Ryoma and Mai as the Outer Shrine Path Ambassadors 'Reiwa's Guides.'

Guides were once individuals who spread the attractions of Ise Pilgrimage nationwide, provided travel guidance, led pilgrimages, and arranged meals and accommodations. In modern times, they can also be said to be individuals who clearly convey the attractions of travel and guide people to the land. The Outer Shrine Path Project Team will have Ryoma and Mai, who have ties to local Mie and share the attractions of travel nationwide, promote the attractions of the Outer Shrine Path as 'Reiwa's Guides' who guide modern travelers to the Outer Shrine Path.

TikTok:

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