New Museum "Okage Yashiki" Opens in Ise, Themed Around the Spirit of "Okagesama"

WOW Inc. (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yuji Takahashi, hereinafter "WOW") has directed and produced the experiential museum "Okage Yashiki," which will open on July 3, 2026 (Fri) in Okage Yokocho, in front of the Naiku of Ise Jingu Shrine. WOW participated with partners from various fields in the renewal project of "Okageza, House of Myths," the former facility operated by Ise-fuku Co., Ltd., which manages Okage Yokocho, and has been working to create an experiential facility unique to Ise that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

WOW has previously presented works such as "BAKERU," "YADORU," "Inori no Katachi," and "Shusai Fusai," which reinterpret cultures and customs passed down throughout Japan from a contemporary perspective and reconstruct them through unique visual expressions. In "Okage Yashiki," the core of the experience is the spirit of "gratitude" that people have cherished in the land of Ise, where Japan's history and spirituality have been nurtured: "Everything in our lives is thanks to the gods."

We have created exhibits that allow visitors to enjoy and experience the beautiful and rich spiritual culture that has long been rooted in Japan, and the "spirit of okagesama" which expresses gratitude to people, things, nature, and even unseen existences, through video and interaction. Through these experiences, we aim to create a place that serves as an opportunity to notice the various blessings that breathe life into Japanese living.

About Okage Yokocho

Ise Jingu Shrine, as the shrine enshrining Amaterasu Omikami in the Naiku, has attracted deep reverence from Japan for over 2000 years. During the Edo period, despite the difficulties of travel, the pilgrimage to Ise became extremely popular, and it is said that the people of Ise warmly welcomed travelers with a spirit of "gratitude for divine favor." As visitors were able to complete their pilgrimage safely thanks to this "okage" (favor), the pilgrimage to Ise came to be known as "Okage Mairi" (pilgrimage of favor).

As a place that carries this "spirit of okage" into the present day, Ise-fuku Co., Ltd. opened "Okage Yokocho" in conjunction with the 61st Shikinen Sengu (1993). It reproduces the atmosphere of the Ise road during the Edo and Meiji periods, and is now a popular tourist destination visited by approximately 5 million people annually.

About Okage Yashiki

In 1993, when "Okage Yokocho" was born, "Okageza" opened as a facility to convey the history and culture of the "Okage Mairi" of the Edo period. Later, it was renovated in 2013 with an exhibition themed around Japanese mythology in conjunction with the 62nd Shikinen Sengu. With the next Sengu in 2033 in mind, a new rebranding has been carried out, and it will be reborn as "Okage Yashiki," a place that conveys the "spirit of okagesama" through the culture and climate of Ise.

In Japan, rice cultivation has long been deeply connected to life, and when harvests were achieved under natural conditions and weather beyond human control, people expressed gratitude by saying "Okagesama de" (thanks to you/divine favor). In the land of Ise, this spirit has been passed down through festivals and prayers to the shrine, leading from the "Okage Mairi" of the Edo period to today's "Okage Yokocho."

"Okage Yashiki" is composed of approximately 12 areas themed around Japan's four seasons, festivals, food culture, and the history of the Ise pilgrimage, with "rice cultivation" and the "spirit of gratitude" as its core. Through productions that fuse video, shadow play, sound, and interaction, visitors can experience the Japanese people's perspective on nature and their spirit of gratitude.

The Mysterious Being "Okagesama" Lurking Within the Facility

The spirit of gratitude, "everything in our lives is thanks to something, thanks to the gods," which the people of Ise have long cherished, is embodied as the original character "Okagesama." A total of 30 Okagesama characters, inspired by things that support daily life and the rich culture and climate of Ise, will appear.

Visitors can interact with them in various ways, such as through their own movements, mechanisms that react to their shadows, fortune-telling slips, and stamps. Through encounters with the diverse Okagesama, visitors will be able to rediscover the spirit of gratitude while enjoying the experience of noticing the many "okage" that lie hidden in their daily lives.

Featured Areas

Opening Theater: An introductory area that unravels the origin of the Ise pilgrimage and the spirit of "okagesama," introducing the connection and coexistence with nature through video. It invites visitors into the world of Okage Yashiki.

Okage Shadow Play: An interactive content that allows visitors to experience customs, folk tales, and episodes of Japan and Ise through shadow play. The shadow puppets created by visitors come to life, providing an opportunity to learn about wishes and elements related to rice cultivation while having fun.

Okage Inu's Ise Pilgrimage: A mini-game based on the anecdote of the "Okage Inu," who is said to have made the Ise pilgrimage on behalf of its master. Visitors can learn about the events the Okage Inu faced on its journey and the kindness it received from the people of Ise.

Okage Omikuji: It is said that simply visiting for the Ise pilgrimage is a great fortune. The Okage Omikuji contains information about the history of Ise and recommended items from Okage Yokocho. By holding your hand over the pillar, a bell will ring, and you can receive your fortune slip that descends from the sky.

Okage Yashiki Overview

Opening Date: July 3, 2026 (Fri)

Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Last admission 4:00 PM)

Location: 52 Ujinakanokiri-cho, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, within Okage Yokocho

TEL: 0596-23-8844

Planning & Operation: Ise-fuku Co., Ltd.

Official Website: https://okageyashiki.com/

Production System

Produce: WOW, Tateito Yokoto

Creative Direction / Planning Direction: WOW

Art Direction / Graphic Design / Character Design: TAKAIYAMA inc.

Exhibition Design Direction / Space Design: DENBAK-FANO DESIGN, mumedesign, e/qual

Experiential Content Design / Technical Direction: siro

Exhibition Production Management: Total Media Development Institute

Ise-fuku Co., Ltd.

Operates "Okage Yokocho" in front of the Naiku of Ise Jingu Shrine. Okage Yokocho is a townscape born in 1993, with over 50 shops lining the street. It reproduces the atmosphere of the Ise road during the Edo and Meiji periods, and welcomes many pilgrims as a place to experience Ise's food culture, traditional crafts, and history. Visitors can enjoy seasonal events, buildings and scenery that evoke the Ise road, carefully selected local products and souvenirs, and regional cuisine. Events such as paper play storytelling and Shinon Taiko drum performances are also held, attracting approximately 5 million tourists annually.

https://okageyokocho.com/

WOW Inc.

1-14-3 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Representative Director: Yuji Takahashi

A visual design studio with bases in Tokyo, Sendai, and London. They engage in a wide range of design work that transcends existing media and categories, from brand concept videos that depict corporate worlds, installations in commercial facilities and urban spaces, to application design and user interfaces developed jointly with manufacturers. On the other hand, they also actively produce original art works and products, and have held numerous exhibitions at museums and galleries both in Japan and abroad. Starting from the sensibilities of individual creators, they continue to pursue visual expressions that illuminate new aspects of the world and invigorate people's hearts.

TEL: 03-5459-1100 URL: www.w0w.co.jp