Maekichi Ryokan Maegura

Asakichi Ryokan Maegura: An Edo-Period Storehouse on Ise's Ancient Pilgrimage Road

Tucked away on a steep hillside in the Furuichi district of Ise City, Mie Prefecture, the Asakichi Ryokan Maegura (Front Storehouse) stands as a quiet testament to over two centuries of history. This two-story earthen storehouse, or dozō, is one of five buildings within the Asakichi Ryokan complex that have been designated as Registered Tangible Cultural Properties of Japan. Together with the main building, the Juen-rō banquet hall, the Meigetsu and Sekka guest rooms, and the main storehouse, the Maegura forms part of a remarkable architectural ensemble that is the sole surviving inn on the historic Furuichi Sangū Kaidō — the ancient pilgrimage road connecting the Outer Shrine (Gekū) and Inner Shrine (Naikū) of Ise Grand Shrine.

The Furuichi District: A Once-Thriving Entertainment Quarter

To understand the significance of the Maegura, one must first understand the extraordinary history of the Furuichi district. During the Edo period (1603–1868), pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine was one of the greatest aspirations of the common people. A popular folk song of the era proclaimed the longing to visit Ise at least once in a lifetime. In peak years, as many as one in every six people in Japan are said to have made the journey.

The Furuichi Sangū Kaidō, running along a ridge of hills between the two shrines, was the only route connecting them until the Meiji era. The district that grew along this road became one of Japan's most famous entertainment quarters, mentioned alongside the great pleasure districts of Edo's Yoshiwara, Kyoto's Shimabara, and others. After completing their shrine visits, pilgrims would come to Furuichi for shōjin otoshi — a ritual release from the dietary and behavioral restrictions observed during their sacred journey — enjoying fine cuisine, music, and the famous Ise Ondo dance performances.

Fires, wartime air raids, and the passage of time erased almost all traces of this once-vibrant quarter. Today, only Asakichi Ryokan remains as a living witness to that era, still welcoming guests as it has for more than 200 years.

The Maegura: Architectural Character and Cultural Significance

The Maegura is situated on a separate plot south of the main building, across the sloping path that characterizes the Asakichi Ryokan complex. It is connected to the third-floor level of the main building by an elevated wooden corridor — an aerial walkway that bridges the gap between structures built at different elevations on the steep terrain.

Constructed during the late Edo period (circa 1830–1867), the Maegura is a compact two-story earthen storehouse measuring approximately 21 square meters in building area. It follows the kirizuma-zukuri (gable roof) style, topped with san-gawara (pantile) roofing. On the side facing the sloping path, the exterior features sasarako shitami-ita-bari — a traditional weatherboarding technique using narrow, overlapping horizontal boards — which gives the building a distinctive texture and rhythm.

The Maegura served as an inner storehouse (uchigura) for the ryokan, functioning much like a secure annex where valuables and provisions could be kept safe from fire and theft. Its positioning across the sloping path from the main building, connected by the aerial corridor, represents a practical and ingenious solution to building on dramatically sloped terrain.

On February 9, 2005, the Maegura was registered as a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan alongside the other buildings of the Asakichi Ryokan complex. Its designation recognizes the storehouse as an integral component of the unique hillside streetscape created by the layered arrangement of traditional structures along the steep stone steps.

Kake-zukuri: The Cliff-Hanging Architecture of Asakichi Ryokan

One of the most striking features of the entire Asakichi Ryokan complex, including the Maegura, is the kake-zukuri (cantilever or cliff-hanging) construction method. This architectural technique, famously employed at Kyoto's Kiyomizu-dera Temple and Tottori's Nageire-dō Hall, involves building on steep slopes using wooden pillars and platforms that extend out from the hillside.

At Asakichi Ryokan, the buildings cascade down five levels along the slope, with the main entrance at what is effectively the fourth floor. Stone steps wind between the structures, creating an almost labyrinthine vertical village. The Maegura, positioned across the path and linked by its aerial corridor, adds another dimension to this remarkable three-dimensional composition. Viewed from below, the layered rooflines, timber walls, stone foundations, and connecting walkways create a scene that many visitors describe as something from another era entirely.

Highlights and Visitor Experience

While the Maegura itself primarily serves a functional role within the ryokan complex, it is an essential part of the visual and atmospheric experience of visiting Asakichi Ryokan. The interplay between the storehouse, the stone stairway, and the main building creates one of the most photographed scenes in Ise.

Guests staying at Asakichi Ryokan can experience the atmosphere of the Edo period firsthand. The ryokan continues to operate as an inn and cuisine establishment, offering meals featuring approximately 70 percent locally sourced seafood from the Ise-Shima region, complemented by fine Japanese sake selected by the current proprietor, who holds a sake sommelier certification. The main storehouse (a separate building from the Maegura) has been converted into a small museum for guests, displaying historical materials related to the ryokan and the Furuichi district.

The nighttime scenery is particularly evocative. When lanterns illuminate the stone steps and wooden facades, the entire complex takes on an otherworldly quality. The sounds of wooden floors creaking underfoot, birdsong during the day, and the distant rumble of trains at night all contribute to a sensory experience that transports visitors across centuries.

Literary and Historical Connections

Asakichi Ryokan holds a notable place in Japanese literary history. The inn appears by name in Tōkaidōchū Hizakurige (Shank's Mare), a famous comic novel written by Jippensha Ikku in the early 1800s. In the story, the protagonists Yajirobei and Kitahachi stop at Furuichi on their way to visit the shrines, and the name "Asakichi" is mentioned in their adventures.

The earliest known historical record of Asakichi dates to 1782, when the name appears on a street map of the Furuichi district preserved at the Ise Furuichi Sangū Kaidō Museum. The ryokan's origins are believed to trace back to a family that supplied hemp (asa) to Ise Grand Shrine. The hereditary name "Asaya Kichibei" was eventually shortened to "Asakichi," which became the establishment's trade name.

During the Meiji era, Asakichi was renowned as a large restaurant that maintained a troupe of about 30 geisha and featured a stage for Ise Ondo dance performances. Over time, it evolved from a restaurant into a cuisine-focused inn, and it continues in that tradition today under the care of its current proprietor.

Surrounding Area and Nearby Attractions

The area around Asakichi Ryokan offers several points of interest for visitors exploring the heritage of the Furuichi district and the broader Ise region.

The Ise Furuichi Sangū Kaidō Museum, located just a one-minute walk from the Nakanochō bus stop, displays kabuki scripts, woodblock prints, and historical materials from the district's golden age as an entertainment quarter. Admission is free, and the museum is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM (closed Mondays and year-end holidays).

Walking south along the old pilgrimage road leads to Saruta-hiko Shrine and the entrance to the Oharai-machi historic street, which connects to the popular Okage Yokochō shopping district near the Inner Shrine. The entire walk from the Outer Shrine through Furuichi to the Inner Shrine covers approximately 3.5 kilometers and offers a historically authentic way to experience the traditional pilgrimage route.

Other nearby sites include Naganone Shrine, which enshrines the deity Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto and is associated with the performing arts; Dairin-ji Temple, which has deep connections to the history of the Furuichi pleasure quarter; and the atmospheric ruins and markers that dot the old pilgrimage road.