Enjoy gourmet food, souvenirs, and walking around the town at Tokaido Sekijuku (KameyamaCity)! We will also introduce parking lots and photo spots.

What is Tokaido Sekijuku (Sekijuku)?

Of the 53 post towns along the 53 stations of Tokaido that were developed during the Edo period, Sekijuku is the 47th post town from Edo.

The old townscape from when it flourished as a post town is still preserved, and the ``Old Tokaido'', which consists of the three areas of Shinsho, Nakamachi, and Kizaki, has been selected as a nationally designated ``Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.''

*Important Traditional Buildings Preservation District...A district that preserves historic villages and townscapes

Model course overview

The orange area on the map above is the old Tokaido, and the old townscape stretches for about 1.8km from Oiwake in the east to Oiwake in the west.

Oiwake is a fork in the road, with Yamato Kaido road branching off from Oiwake in the west, and Isebetsu Kaido road branching off from Oiwake in the east.

During the Edo period, it was bustling with people passing through these roads, and prospered as a base for Sankin Kotai and Ise pilgrimages.

Introducing a model sightseeing course where you can enjoy gourmet food and souvenir selection in such a good old town!

Next, we will introduce spots where you can enjoy taking pictures while walking around town. In this interview, members of the Mie Culture Love Association will act as models as they walk around town wearing Ise-Momen kimonos.

The Mie Culture Love Association (Mie LCA) carries out activities to convey the charm of Mie's culture, history, and kimono, and information is disseminated on Instagram (@mie_lca).

Be sure to watch until the end to see what kind of photos you can take when you combine Mie's traditional craft, Ise-Momen, with the townscape of Sekijuku.

Shooting date: December 27, 2021 *Masks are removed only when shooting.

model course

• Tourist parking lot (starting point)
• Uno Bono (lunch)
• Kaneki Itohiko City Store (souvenir selection)
• Ishigakiya (photographed at the inn)
• Nakamachi (walking around town)
• Chokan-tei (observation area)
• Old folk house cafe keep (tea time)
• Ichi-no-Torii (walking around town)
• GUTE (takeout)
• Koman no Yu (goal point)

Tourist parking lot

Park your car in the parking lot (free) and start sightseeing! It is about a 3 minute walk from here to the old Tokaido, and you can access Shinsho and Nakamachi in Sekijuku.

In addition to public restrooms, there is also a free footbath facility called ``Koman no Yu'' on the premises.

*Footbath business information will be introduced in detail at the end of the article.

If Sekijuku sightseeing parking lot is full, please use the parking lots in Oiwake on the east and Oiwake on the west. Both are available for free.

About sightseeing parking lot

address

1974-1 sekicho KameyamaCity

Number of parking spaces

4 large spaces, 16 regular spaces, 1 thoughtful parking space

public toilet

Yes (for boys, girls, and people with physical disabilities)

Parking Fee

free

Uno bono

After walking for about 3 minutes from the tourist parking lot, we arrived at Unobono. This cafe mainly serves Western and Italian food, and you can also enjoy original blended coffee and desserts.

The interior of the store is a calm space filled with the warmth of wood. You can see the townhouse and garden from the window, so you can feel the atmosphere of Sekijuku up close.

Order a plate lunch from the lunch menu! The main dishes and soups change weekly, and on this day it was sautéed young chicken and sweet potato potage. All the dishes were seasoned with gentle seasoning, allowing us to enjoy the flavors of the ingredients to our heart's content.

Other lunch menus include lasagna, pasta, and soup curry, and I'm glad they have a wide variety.

Uno Bono has a delicious taste and a comfortable atmosphere that makes you want to come back again and again.

Uno Bono business information

business hours

Lunch 11:30-14:30
Cafe 14:30-16:00
Dinner 16:30-21:00 (L.O.20:00)

Regular holiday

Monday

telephone number

0595-96-1739

address

1185 sekicho KameyamaCity

official instagram

@cafe_unobuono

Kaneki Itohiko City Store

After walking for about 3 minutes from Uno Bono, I arrived at Kaneki Itohiko City Shoten. This is a tea shop that was founded in 1865, and sells tea made using its own method as well as tea from Mie Prefecture (Ise GreenTea).

There are various souvenir shops in Sekijuku, but this time let's look for souvenirs at this shop that sells KameyamaCity 's specialty, ``Kameyama tea'' ♫

Kameyama Tea is produced in KameyamaCity, where Sekijuku is located, and is grown at the foot of the Suzuka Mountains in the great expanse of nature. It is such a popular specialty in the city that a Kameyama tea event is held every year as part of a regional revitalization effort.

Would you like to enjoy the charm of Kameyama at home with a souvenir of a specialty product unique to this area?

I immediately searched for souvenir tea leaves in the store. In addition to Kameyama tea, this shop sells tea leaves produced all over Mie Prefecture, including Suzuka, Yokkaichi, Matsusaka, Odai, and Watarai.

We offer a tasting service inside the store, so you can taste the tea leaves you are interested in. This time, I sampled the store's recommended ``Hyakunen-no-cha.''

*Tasting service may not be available on some days depending on the availability of tea leaves and the situation of the store staff.

These tea leaves are collected from tea trees that are over 100 years old and have a distinctive aromatic taste! This is a dish where you can enjoy the deep astringency of the tea leaves.

While tasting the tea, they will listen to you about the history of tea and even teach you how to make delicious tea, which is a great service!

I was able to fully enjoy the way you can enjoy tea at a tea shop. After tasting the "Hyakunen-no-cha" as a souvenir, we will enjoy taking photos at the nearest inn ♫

Kaneki Itohiko City Store business information

business hours

10:00-17:00

Regular holiday

Sunday (Wednesday and Sunday in July and August)

telephone number

0595-96-0357

address

390 sekicho KameyamaCity

Official site

https://www.kaneki-isecha.com/

Ishigakiya

Ishigakiya is a guest house that utilizes an old folk house, and the building is over 120 years old!

You can stay in an 8-tatami Japanese-style room or a separate Japanese-style room without meals, and enjoy the retro atmosphere.

Additionally, rooms can be rented out by the hour, and recently there have been a lot of people using the room for cosplay photo shoots. This time, I will rent an hour and enjoy a location shoot in a kimono ♫

Photo point “Hachitatoma”

Since gentle natural light comes in from the courtyard, we were able to shoot Japanese-style scenes similar to those seen in TV dramas and movies.

The old-fashioned tables and hanging scrolls are picturesque ♫ You can stay in this room during your stay.

Photo point: “Japanese-style room with hearth”

Located next to the eight-tatami room, the retro hearth creates a Japanese atmosphere. By purposely choosing a black and white photo, the photo looks like it has traveled back in time to the Showa era.

Shooting point “Detached Japanese-style room”

I took a picture of them chatting while looking out at the courtyard. You'll feel like you're at your grandmother's house in the countryside.

It may be rare in Japan to be able to enjoy taking pictures in a quaint Japanese house. It's also a historical building on Tokaido!

Please visit Ishigakiya's official website for information on how to reserve hourly rentals and lodging.

Now that you've enjoyed taking photos at the inn, let's introduce some photo points that take advantage of the townscape!

Nakamachi

Nakamachi is located in the middle of the old Tokaido, and is lined with historical museums, post offices, and long-established shops. This time, we will enjoy outdoor shooting that takes advantage of Nakamachi's location ♫

Shooting point “West Oiwake”

After confirming that there were no moving vehicles around, I headed west towards Oiwake and took the photo. This is the passage just after leaving Ishigaki-ya, and the signs for Kaneki Itohiko City Store and the post office add to the retro atmosphere.

Shooting point “Machiya”

Next, I took a photo with the townhouse next to Ishigakiya in the background. The atmosphere of the lattice door and tiled roof will take you back in time.

Many of the townhouses in Nakamachi look like this, and it is valuable that the old townscape has been preserved even in the Reiwa era.

Shooting point “East Oiwake”

I went out to the passage from the townhouse mentioned earlier and took this photo facing east towards Oiwake. The sight of townhouses lined up is a great way to feel the atmosphere of the old Tokaido!

By the way, Sekijuku has about 200 townhouses from the Edo to Meiji periods.

Chosekan-tei

After walking for about 3 minutes from the previous photo spot (near the entrance of Ishigaki-ya), we arrived at Chokan-tei.

This is an observation spot where you can see Sekijuku from a high place, and the second floor is the observation area.

Here is a photo taken from here ↓

The sight of townhouses with tiled roofs lined up on both sides of the walkway is breathtaking! This may be the photo spot where you can feel the most traces of the old Tokaido.

Business hours of Hyakurokuritei /Choukan-tei

business hours

10:00-17:00

Regular holiday

No holidays

inquiry

0595-96-1215 (KameyamaCity Tourism Promotion Office)

Old folk house cafe keep

After taking photos and walking around town, let's take a break and have tea time at a cafe ♫ Walk about 10 minutes from Chokan-tei and arrive at Kominka Café Keep.

This cafe is housed in an old folk house, and you can enjoy breakfast, snacks, and coffee in a quaint atmosphere.

We immediately took a seat and ordered dessert and tea! You will feel comfortable in the calm space filled with the soft light shining through the windows and the warmth of the wood.

The black tea I ordered this time is ``KISEKI'', which is a high grade of ``Kameyama Benihomare black tea''. This elegant black tea is characterized by its brightly colored appearance and aromatic taste, and you can also feel the bitterness of the tea leaves.

There are only three shops in KameyamaCity that can serve this tea, and one of them is Kominka Café Keep.

Benihomare black tea was once popularly produced, but due to the liberalization of imports, cheaper black tea from foreign countries entered the market, and it gradually disappeared.

However, one day, a Benihomare tree that remained between Kameyama-juku and Sekijuku was miraculously discovered, and after much trial and error, they were able to revive it and create Kameyama Benihomare Black Tea.

The name of the grade KISEKI comes from this origin.

It's a special moment to enjoy historic tea in a historic town ♫

This time I used it for tea time, but the homemade lunch menu is also very popular. *Photo shows rice lunch

The business hours are from 8am, so it's a good idea to enjoy your morning early in the morning♫ You might be able to see Sekijuku with a different atmosphere than during the day.

Kominka Cafe Keep business hours

business hours

8:00～17:00(L.O.16:30)
Morning 8:00-10:00
Lunch 12:00~ Ends as soon as it runs out

Regular holiday

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays *Temporary closures may apply

inquiry

0595-96-3001

address

1497 Kizaki sekicho KameyamaCity

official instagram

@tekkiheisyaa

The first torii gate

After enjoying tea time at Kominka Cafe Keep, move to Ichi-no-Torii, which is right in front of the shop.

This torii gate is located in Oiwake in the east and was built as a guide for people heading to Ise ShikinenSengu Shrine.The torii gate of Naiku UjibashiBridge south end was relocated here during the Shikinen Sengu of IseJingu IseJingu, which is held once every 20 years. will be done. The current torii gate was built in June 2015, and it is said that it was first built around the beginning of the 18th century.

Line up in front of the torii gate and pray in the direction of IseJingu. Did travelers 200 years ago see the same scenery?

Beyond the torii gate is the Isebetsu Highway, which connects to Naiku and Geku of IseJingu via TsuCity.

One of the charms of Sekijuku is that you can witness historic spots that date back hundreds of years.

GUTE

Enjoy walking around the town while eating some take-out gourmet food until you return to the sightseeing parking lot ♫ Arrive at GUTE after walking for about 10 minutes from Ichi-no-Torii.

You can eat cute bear-shaped monaka here, and this is a new restaurant that just opened on November 24, 2021.

*At the time of article publication, the cafe is not open, only takeout.

I ordered one right away and it was served fresh within minutes. You can't help but snap a photo of it because it looks so cute that it's Instagram-worthy.

The focus is not only on the cute appearance, but also on the ingredients inside!

The skin is thicker than regular monaka, and it is grilled each time an order is placed, so you can enjoy the crispy texture and the hearty flavor of the red beans. The bean paste is made with high-quality azuki beans from Hokkaido.

It also contains gyuhi (gyuhi), so you can enjoy the harmony of bean paste and gyuhi with every bite.

I was very satisfied with the attention to detail and deliciousness ♫

GUTE business hours

business hours

11:00 ~ As soon as the red bean paste runs out

Regular holiday

Wednesdays, 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month

address

390 sekicho KameyamaCity

official instagram

@gute.___

Koman no Yu

We walked a lot while sightseeing around Sekijuku, so let's finally soak in the footbath and relax ♫

After walking for about 5 minutes from GUTE, we arrived at Koman no Yu. This is attached to the sightseeing parking lot at the starting point, and you can enjoy the footbath for free.

The hot spring water is drawn from Sekijuku Onsen drawn from a depth of 1,300 meters, and is characterized by its high salt content. It has a good heat retention effect and will keep you warm ♫

Koman no Yu business information

business hours

10:00-17:00

Regular holiday

Monday (if Monday falls on a holiday or substitute holiday, the next business day)
New year holiday season

inquiry

0595-96-1215 (KameyamaCity Tourism Promotion Office)

address

1974-1 sekicho KameyamaCity

Fee

free

What did you think

We have delivered a model sightseeing course where you can enjoy gourmet food, souvenirs, and walking around Sekijuku. It takes about 3 to 4 hours to tour this plan from the beginning, so if it's winter season you can enjoy it from afternoon until sunset.

If you have time, let's go back to the old Tokaido during sunset. You'll be sure to be impressed by the quiet townscape and the sight of the townhouses illuminated by the setting sun.

Please come to Sekijuku, where you can experience the culture and history of the Edo to Meiji eras.

Kimono event “Hina Kaido Mini Yokocho” held at Sekijuku

KameyamaCity will begin efforts to increase the appeal of the area by promoting the appeal of Sekijuku and kimonos. In response to these movements, the Mie Culture Love Association (Mie LCA) is holding an event in Sekijuku with the theme of kimonos and walking around the city, in order to promote Sekijuku as a town where everyday kimonos look good and to promote its appeal as a new landscape. "Hina Kaido Mini Yokocho" will be held from 10:00 to 15:00 on March 5th (Sat) and 6th (Sun), 2022.

Additionally, in November 2020, an event is scheduled to be held in Sekijuku as part of the collaborative project between KameyamaCity and Mie LCA, `` Sekijuku Machimusume Kimono Yokocho''.

For event details, please see the official Instagram (@mie_lca) of the Mie Culture Love Association (Mie LCA).

Sekijuku coverage article

• Stroll around Tokaido Sekijuku (KameyamaCity). A post town with plenty of tea places! Introducing parking lots, guides, and gourmet food!
• Sekijuku, a townscape from the Edo period that remains in Kameyama
• [Sekijuku special page] Walking around Sekijuku Tokaido

Kanko Mie has published other articles covering Sekijuku, so please take a look as well.