Looking Beyond the Post Town: Off the Beaten Path of Seki-Juku

The simplistic, scenic splendor of Edo period artisan Hiroshige’s woodcut prints has captured the imagination of the aesthetically-inclined both inside and outside Japan. Among his plethora of works, one series of pieces, The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō, depicts the “Eastern Sea Road” that connected the Shogun’s capital in Edo (present-day Tokyo) to the imperial capital in Kyoto. So-called post towns or shukuba along the road welcomed travelers and magistrates with lodging and refreshments, the most well-preserved of which can be found in the city of Kameyama in Mie Prefecture to this day.

Hayden Marks

The post town in question, Seki-Juku, is a walkable time capsule lined with shops, shrines, and rustic residences and is the closest real-life remnant of the atmosphere depicted in Hiroshige’s works. It is no wonder the post town has gained notoriety domestically in a country whose people care deeply about heritage and cultural preservation. However, just outside the post town itself, a side-quest of equal, if not greater significance remains overlooked by travelers and residents alike, awaiting only the most inquisitive individuals.

Just outside of the Kameyama train station, an epic statue of a visibly intrepid couple towers over passers-by, suggesting more than meets the eye for this quaint town. Those versed in Japanese mythology may be quick to recognize the sculpted depiction of Prince Yamato Takeru pointing valiantly ahead. His heroic escapades as a demi-god of legend as recorded in ancient historical texts are known by all in Japan. He stands accompanied by his wife, Princess Ototachibana, the central figure at the first stop on my journey in Seki.

Kameyama train station
Address：198 Miyuki-cho, Kameyama City

Oshiyama Shrine

My travel chaperones steered our car past the densely forested mountain bends of Kameyama, finally reaching a narrow path extending past a small rice field to Oshiyama Shrine. There, we were welcomed by the diligent locals and gūji, or chief priest, devoted to the upkeep of this unsuspecting shrine. We sat on floor mats huddled around a long meeting table where they proceeded to unveil the fascinating history behind the sacred spot.

Anyone familiar with Mie Prefecture will know that it is home to Ise Jingū, the most important shrine in all of Japan and proverbial home of the Japanese soul. With a 2000-year-old history, Ise Jingū was erected in the name of Amaterasu-Ōmikami, goddess of the sun and ancestor to the imperial family. However, the location of the Shrine wasn’t decided overnight. In fact, legend has it Princess Yamatohime-no-Mikoto traveled around Japan for two decades looking for the perfect place to worship the deity. Apparently there were a number of candidates that temporarily became the Jingū before Amaterasu settled down in Ise, one of which was the very shrine I was currently visiting. Oshiyama Shrine, I learned, enshrined 23 gods as a composite of a number of shrines. It also turned out the shrine was in fact located at the birthplace of Princess Ototachibana. The shrine official spoke of her tragic yet heroic final act, sacrificing herself to the god of the sea to calm a storm and ensure her husband’s safe return from battle. As both the birthplace of the princess and the former home of the central deity in Shintoism, it was mind boggling that the shrine wasn't widely celebrated, let alone known by the general public.

It is for that reason the city of Kameyama insisted on commissioning the statue outside the station as a reminder of the importance of the region since ancient times. After receiving a tour of the worship hall and observing handmade, traditional items used in shrine ceremonies, I bid farewell to Oshiyama shrine to take a break before completing my journey.

Oshiyama Shrine
Address：4-4-65 Nomura, Kameyama City

Meihan Seki Drive-In

Now that I had nourished my mind and soul, it was time for my stomach to catch up. We arrived at the Meihan Seki Drive-In to scour their stock of local specialty foods and snacks and sit down for an authentic dining experience. Top-quality, locally-brewed sake lined the walls of the souvenir shop, and different quadrants of the premises hosted foodstuffs unique to the various regions of the prefecture. It was a totally awe-inspiring lineup of delectable delights. And what would a souvenir shop in Japan be without some vending machines? A machine for the sauce-based, regional Ise udon was impressive enough as is, but it was completely outshined by its neighbor selling the nation’s most luxurious brand of wagyu, Matsusaka beef.

Speaking of wagyu, it was time for lunch at the nearby restaurant Sekihonjin. My travel guides and I were led down a hall of dining rooms lit with lamps with the names of other historic post towns in Mie on the Tokaido. We were seated in the Yokkaichi post town dining room, outfitted with tatami flooring and an enchanting view of the restaurant's central garden. Of course our meals didn't pull any punches either.

Matsusaka beef sukiyaki teishoku
A teishoku (set meal) featuring the oh-so scrumptious luxury wagyu of Matsusaka, where female cattle exclusively are massaged and fed beer even to produced the most tender, marble, melt-in-your-mouth meat. One of the top three brands in the nation, the beef is exquisite in sukiyaki, where its flavor is absorbed by the vegetables it is served with.

Ise-ji ("The Ise Road")
This combo comes with both tekone sushi, a hand-kneaded local type of marinated bonito sushi developed by fisherman, and Ise udon, thick buckwheat noodles served in a rich soy-sauce broth. As a former resident of Ise, I couldn’t pass up this scrumptious, nostalgic meal.

Kameyama miso-yaki udon.

A local variant on the classic stir fried udon dish that is cooked with the very same Matsusaka wagyu and veggies and lathered in a miso-based sauce. Served tōbanyaki style on a ceramic plate you use to roast the ingredients yourself to enjoy the dish as soon as it is ready to eat. The set is not for the faint of heart, as the special red miso has a spicy bite to it and is coupled with a bowl of the renowned rice farmed in Iga, Mie.

Once we filled our bellies with these culinary treasures, it was time to hit the dusty trail once more for the last leg of our journey.

Meihan Seki Drive-In
Home Page：https://sekidora.com/

Nobono Shrine

Just a 15-minute drive and we had already arrived at the large parking lot just outside Nobono Shrine. I took the opportunity to scarf down the delicious frozen kuzumochi bar I was gifted at the drive-in before stepping into the holy zone. Surrounding the shrine was a quaint pond with koi fish and a well-kept park, perfect for a tranquil stroll. Past the pond, up the picturesque stone-paved steps, and through the giant torī shrine gate,
I was yet again met with an enthusiastic welcome by this shrine’s official. Without missing a single detail, the gentleman proceeded to give a 20-minute monologue about the entire historical background of the shrine from memory, including exact dates and all.

The most impressive detail was without a doubt the fact that a giant kofun burial mound said to be the resting place for the legendary Yamato Takeru himself was located just adjacent to the shrine. Before paying our respects we received a tour of the inside of the shrine facilities where we heard the story of how a young Yamato Takeru disguised himself as a woman to defeat a villainous adversary.

He then guided us to the gated off section of the tomb marked with a shrine where we paid our respects to the legend himself. Afterwards, we made our way back to the front of the shrine and heard about the efforts of Kameyama to preserve and spread the city’s legacy to the next generation.

Oshiyama Shrine

Meihan Seki Drive-In

Nobono Shrine

Tourist attractions covered by this article