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Ise, Mie

Ise
伊勢市
City
Naigu in Ise Shrine
Naigu in Ise Shrine
Flag of Ise
Flag
Official seal of Ise
Seal
Location of Ise in Mie Prefecture
Location of Ise in Mie Prefecture
Ise is located in Japan
Ise
Ise
 
Coordinates: 34°29′N 136°43′E / 34.483°N 136.717°E / 34.483; 136.717Coordinates: 34°29′N 136°43′E / 34.483°N 136.717°E / 34.483; 136.717
Country Japan
Region Kansai
Prefecture Mie Prefecture
Government
 • -Mayor Kenichi Suzuki
Area
 • Total 208.52 km2 (80.51 sq mi)
Population (September 2012)
 • Total 123,129
 • Density 619/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone Japan Standard Time (UTC+9)
- Tree Oyane-zakura
Phone number 0596-23-1111
Website www.city.ise.mie.jp

Ise (伊勢市 Ise-shi?), formerly called Ujiyamada (宇治山田), is a city located on the eastern tip of Kii Peninsula, in central Mie Prefecture (formally in Ise Province), on the island of Honshū, Japan, facing Ise Bay. Ise is home to Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shintō shrine in Japan, and is thus a very popular destination for tourists. The city has a long-standing title – Shinto (神都) – that roughly means "The Holy City" and literally means "Capital of the Kami". Most of the city is within the geographic limits of Ise-Shima National Park.

As of September 2012, the city has an estimated population of 129,125 and a population density of 619 persons per km². The total area is 208.53 km².

Ise's history is directly linked to that of Ise Grand Shrine. Ise Grand Shrine is separated into two main parts: The Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine. Despite the names, these are actually two physically separate shrines approximately six kilometers apart.

Modern Ise began with small settlements that sprung up around the two shrines. During the Edo period, Ise was a popular destination for pilgrimages which were called "o-Ise-mairi" (literally, "Coming to Ise") and thus these settlements grew larger and developed into small villages. The village around the Inner Shrine was named Uji and the village around the Outer Shrine was named Yamada. Because of the religious importance of Ise Grand Shrine, the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period viewed the area as politically significant and installed a magistrate in Yamada.


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