To make good use of the semester break another domestic study tour brought us on the first day to Fujinomiya and the Fuji World Heritage Centre in Shizuoka (https://mtfuji-whc.jp/en/), designed by Shigeru Ban and open since 2018. Due to the lack of crowds avoiding to travel in Japan caused by the worldwide corona virus outbreak, the museum was literally empty. This allowed us to take pictures from all angles on this sunny yet very windy day.
On the second day we were able to first visit the Yokoayama Observatory (https://www.iseshima-kanko.jp/en/see-and-do/1249) which allows the visitor to overlook the beautiful Ago Bay, where austers and pearls are farmed and which reminds us much of Finlands’ rough cliff landscape. Afterwards we finally arrived at the Ise Jingu Geku – the outer shrine of the very famous Ise Shrine where in 2019 the new emperor was enthroned. The shrine building which was rebuilt in 2013 and will be rebuilt in 2033 again (thus every 20 years) cannot be photographed but the atmosphere was transquil and very special. A visit to the Ise Jingu Naiku -the inner shrine of the Ise Shrine completed this visit to this grand heritage site.
On the third day we were able to visit another famous site, the Mikimoto Pearl Island (http://www.mikimoto-pearl-museum.co.jp/index.html) where Mikimoto Kokichi, a local entrepreneur, succeeded in 1893 to produce cultured pearls on an island called Ojima (相島). The trip ended with a ferry ride over the Ise Bay to reach Irago with its impressive lighthouse tower and beautiful strawberry fields.
More about Ise Jingu’s architecture can be found here: