The cradle of the Japanese nation
Nowadays, Asuka is a pretty village with undeniable charm, nestled in the countryside of Nara and its rice paddies on a plateau. 1400 years ago, the future of the country was decided here, when the Archipelago was founded as a nation. The seat of imperial power was established here. This led to the administrative organisation of the country, its monetary economy and its diplomacy. Shōtoku Taishi then promulgated the seventeen articles of a Constitution that preached the principles of peace. Today, thanks to archaeological excavations and the work of specialists, traces of this historical past can be found. For today's visitor, visiting Asuka is like riding through an open-air museum, which can be pleasantly discovered by bicycle, while marvelling at the beautiful nature as far as the eye can see.
A high place of spirituality
In addition to the birth of Japanese politics and culture in the village of Asuka, it is also in the Ise-Yamato area that we find testimonies of some of the most important religions of Japan. Spirituality is omnipresent there. In ancient times, the mountainous region of Yamato was considered a land of natural powers. It was an important stage for the many ascetics of shugendō, Japan's age-old spiritual tradition of communion between man and nature. This religion is a mixture of genres, it is at the crossroads of mountain worship, the Shintoist religion or Buddhist and Taoist. The ascetics seek the change of the body and the rebirth of the mind through the ascent of mountains. During a visit to Yoshino, one goes to the Kinpusen-ji, the main temple of shugendō, established in the 6th century by En no Gyōja, the founder of this ascetic religion. It is also the focal point of several pilgrimage routes, which led to its inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004 as part of the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountains". From Nara to Mie Prefecture, one can go back in time to the discovery of Japan's most important shrine of the Shinto religion, Ise-jingū, officially called jingū. It consists of 125 shrines scattered around two parts: Naiku, dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, and Geku, dedicated to Toyouke-no-Okami. Dating from the 3rd century, this highly spiritual place is unique and precious. The value given to this shrine is such that it is rebuilt identically every 20 years, according to ancestral construction techniques. The craftsmen continue to perpetuate this tradition. The place is a haven of spiritual peace, highly respected by the Japanese who visit it at least once in their lives. Mysticism is pushed to its peak with the jingū. Most of the sacred buildings are hidden behind large palisades and photography is prohibited in certain areas of the area. This could create frustration, but it is indeed fascination and enchantment that emanates from it. Among the key figures linked to the shrine is the legend of Saiō or Itsuki no Miko, single female members of the Japanese imperial family sent to Ise to serve at Ise-jingū, from the late 7th century to the 14th century. Their residence, Saikū, was located 10 km northwest of the sacred site. The remains of the dwelling are located today in the town of Meiwa, in Mie.
The omnipresence of food
Ise-Shima has long been considered a miketsukuni, which means that the area was one of the regions providing food for the imperial family, for example, because of its abundance of seafood and the quality of the food on offer. Along with Awaji and Wakasa, Ise-Shima was one of only three miketsukuni in Japan, a clear indication of the nourishing value of this part of Kansai. Today, Ise-Shima is still a favorite place for foodies. Here, visitors enjoy high-quality ingredients such as Matsusaka beef, ise-ebi lobsters and abalones. It is also in this region of Japan that we find the ama divers, women who have been perpetuating the ancestral know-how of shellfish fishing for thousands of years. Since ancient times, these ladies have been diving into the sea to take advantage of the region's important maritime resources. Although there are now only 2000 of them across Japan, almost half of them are found around the town of Toba, in Mie. These women, who dive almost every day, command respect, some of them even octogenarians. Discussing with these ladies and sharing a convivial moment around the fire and the grill, tasting the day's catch, is one of the most emblematic experiences of this region of Kansai, which definitely mixes history, culture, religion and gastronomy. A true journey into the heart of historic and ancestral Japan.
For more information, please visit: kansaiguide.jp/exciting/
