Owase – Culture and History

Explore Owase’s cultural history through several tangible traces: religious traditions at Owase Shrine, a pair of Niō guardian statues and a historic temple bell at Kongoji Temple, and reminders of the former Kumano Highway pilgrimage route. A local legend and the Doi Children's Living Museum add to these themes; the Yaya Festival also provides an annual event in February. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on religious history, traditional routes, legends, or a festival. The festival period is particularly relevant for planning your hotel stay, while the other themes offer different ways to discover Owase’s history.

Owase Shrine and Kongoji Temple

A large camphor tree stands at Owase Shrine, estimated to be about 1,000 years old. The shrine also has close historical ties to both the Ise faith and the Kumano faith. Nature and religious history thus come together here: the tree is a natural landmark in its own right, while the two faith traditions shape the shrine’s historical religious significance.

At Kongoji Temple, Niō guardian statues stand on either side of the gate. The pair dates to the early Edo period, and each statue is 3.70 meters tall. The temple bell dates from 1755 and is the oldest temple bell in the city. These details combine the dimensions of a pair of statues with the specific date and citywide distinction of a single object.

Pilgrimage Route and Local Legend

Signposts and stone monuments from the Kumano Highway have been preserved along Yanohama Road; the road was once used by pilgrims. Unlike individual temple objects, these markers point to the former use of a route. Both tangible historic remains and the story of the pilgrimage are part of this aspect of Owase’s culture.

A local legend is associated with Sodekata Bridge: according to the story, two young people met across the bay and each exchanged a sleeve as a sign of their encounter. The two stories have different emphases: Yanohama Road is about pilgrims and road markers, while Sodekata Bridge is about an encounter that lives on in local legend.

Museum and Festival in Your Travel Plans

The Doi Children's Living Museum uses a Western-style building and a storehouse to exhibit antique toys. Visits are by reservation only. If you would like to include the museum in your trip, make sure to book in advance. The collection of antique toys is housed in two different types of buildings.

The Yaya Festival is held annually from February 1 to 5 at Owase Shrine. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, these dates provide a concrete point for planning; check the dates again before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Yokkaichi, Shima, Kameyama, Iga, Toba, Ise, Suzuka, Tsu.

For the main travel overview: Mie Prefecture.