🗺️ Ise Kawasaki Merchant Museum

The Ise Kawasaki Merchant Museum is located in Kawasaki, northeast of Ise Jingu, and has thrived since the Edo period as the "kitchen of Ise," providing goods for visitors coming to worship at Ise. The street extends along the midstream of the Sedagawa River flowing through Ise City. Although some townhouses and warehouses have disappeared due to river improvement projects, the historic streetscape still exists. Along the Kawasaki Hondori, which runs parallel to the Sedagawa River, rows of townhouses and warehouses with "kirizuma-zukuri" roofs stand, along with many cafes, Ise udon shops, and grocery stores. Stopping to stroll leisurely is quite enjoyable. The area is not overly commercialized, allowing visitors to experience local life and enjoy the unique small-town atmosphere of Kawasaki. Seven warehouses and two townhouses built during the Edo to Meiji periods now comprise the Ise Kawasaki Merchant Museum, which is open for visits. In addition to representing local merchants and tea rooms, it also showcases collections of tools and materials from that time. The river-facing side of the Ise Kawasaki Merchant Museum features a specially landscaped area where visitors can enjoy the ancient scenery of the riverbank, stone walls, and warehouses lined up together. In the past, many warehouses were built along both banks of the river for transporting goods via water transport. After the river improvement projects, only this area has retained its warehouses.

Strolling through the old streets lined with townhouses and warehouses built during the Edo to Meiji periods. Traditional buildings house shops and cafes. The Ise Kawasaki Merchant Museum offers a glimpse into the appearance of merchants and warehouses from that era.