Ise City History Museum Finally Opens! (Mie Prefecture, Ise City)
The Ise City History Museum will open on April 25, 2026, in Ise City, Mie Prefecture. This facility aims to disseminate the rich history and culture of Ise City and deepen regional understanding, with a special inaugural exhibition, 'Wearing Okihiki,' also being held.
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Ise City, Mie Prefecture, will open the "Ise City History Museum" on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
This museum is a facility designed to broadly disseminate the rich history and culture of Ise City and to deepen understanding and interest in the region. Located at the gateway to Ise-Shima National Park, Ise City is blessed with abundant nature and food culture, and is a town where many valuable assets remain, including famous places and historic sites where a long history and profound culture breathe.
In the exhibition rooms, visitors can experience the history and traditional culture of Ise City in a realistic way, and in the cultural tourism information area, information on the city's diverse attractions, such as tourist spots, traditional crafts, and food culture, will be introduced.
Additionally, coinciding with the opening, the 1st Special Exhibition, "Wearing Okihiki - Regional Memories Carried on Happi," will be held.
■ Highlights of the History Museum
The permanent exhibition introduces the history and culture of Ise City from multiple perspectives, including topography and nature, human history from archaeology, the prosperity of Ise pilgrimage, the development of the town of O-Ise-san, the history of shipbuilding which was a major industry, folk events such as the Okihiki ritual, customs and manners, and the history of disasters and reconstruction.
One of the highlights is a life-size Okihiki float, approximately 5 meters high. With sound and video effects on the background screen, visitors can experience the immersive feeling of participating in the event.
Furthermore, the residence of Onshi (pilgrimage guides) who welcomed many pilgrims during the Edo period has been recreated with VR video. Visitors can experience the journey of Ise pilgrimage as one of the pilgrims.
Many actual materials, video content, and interactive exhibits have been introduced, allowing visitors to learn while experiencing and enjoying.
[Opening Overview]
Opening Date | Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 1:00 PM
Opening Hours | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Last admission 4:30 PM)
Closed | Every Wednesday (or the next weekday if it's a public holiday)
Admission Fee | General 300 yen, High school students and younger free
Location | 1-2-29 Iwabuchi, Ise City, Mie Prefecture (2nd floor of Ise Citizen Activity Center North Building)
■ Opening Commemoration Focuses on "Okihiki"
1st Special Exhibition "Wearing Okihiki - Regional Memories Carried on Happi"
"Okihiki" is a folk event that adorns the Jingu Shikinen Sengu (periodic rebuilding of the Grand Shrines of Ise). This exhibition focuses on the "happi" (traditional coats) of the Hōei-dan (participants) who carry out this event, displaying happi from all 72 groups over four exhibition periods. Each happi, adorned with different patterns and designs, embodies the history and pride of the region, and through the stories of each region deciphered from the designs, the diversity of "culture carried on the back" will be introduced.
[Special Exhibition Overview]
Period | Saturday, April 25, 2026 ~ Sunday, September 6, 2026
Venue | Ise City History Museum Planning Exhibition Room
Other | Same admission fee as the permanent exhibition (General 300 yen, High school students and younger free)
This museum is a facility designed to broadly disseminate the rich history and culture of Ise City and to deepen understanding and interest in the region. Located at the gateway to Ise-Shima National Park, Ise City is blessed with abundant nature and food culture, and is a town where many valuable assets remain, including famous places and historic sites where a long history and profound culture breathe.
In the exhibition rooms, visitors can experience the history and traditional culture of Ise City in a realistic way, and in the cultural tourism information area, information on the city's diverse attractions, such as tourist spots, traditional crafts, and food culture, will be introduced.
Additionally, coinciding with the opening, the 1st Special Exhibition, "Wearing Okihiki - Regional Memories Carried on Happi," will be held.
■ Highlights of the History Museum
The permanent exhibition introduces the history and culture of Ise City from multiple perspectives, including topography and nature, human history from archaeology, the prosperity of Ise pilgrimage, the development of the town of O-Ise-san, the history of shipbuilding which was a major industry, folk events such as the Okihiki ritual, customs and manners, and the history of disasters and reconstruction.
One of the highlights is a life-size Okihiki float, approximately 5 meters high. With sound and video effects on the background screen, visitors can experience the immersive feeling of participating in the event.
Furthermore, the residence of Onshi (pilgrimage guides) who welcomed many pilgrims during the Edo period has been recreated with VR video. Visitors can experience the journey of Ise pilgrimage as one of the pilgrims.
Many actual materials, video content, and interactive exhibits have been introduced, allowing visitors to learn while experiencing and enjoying.
[Opening Overview]
Opening Date | Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 1:00 PM
Opening Hours | 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Last admission 4:30 PM)
Closed | Every Wednesday (or the next weekday if it's a public holiday)
Admission Fee | General 300 yen, High school students and younger free
Location | 1-2-29 Iwabuchi, Ise City, Mie Prefecture (2nd floor of Ise Citizen Activity Center North Building)
■ Opening Commemoration Focuses on "Okihiki"
1st Special Exhibition "Wearing Okihiki - Regional Memories Carried on Happi"
"Okihiki" is a folk event that adorns the Jingu Shikinen Sengu (periodic rebuilding of the Grand Shrines of Ise). This exhibition focuses on the "happi" (traditional coats) of the Hōei-dan (participants) who carry out this event, displaying happi from all 72 groups over four exhibition periods. Each happi, adorned with different patterns and designs, embodies the history and pride of the region, and through the stories of each region deciphered from the designs, the diversity of "culture carried on the back" will be introduced.
[Special Exhibition Overview]
Period | Saturday, April 25, 2026 ~ Sunday, September 6, 2026
Venue | Ise City History Museum Planning Exhibition Room
Other | Same admission fee as the permanent exhibition (General 300 yen, High school students and younger free)