Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan | One group per night
Walk the old merchant quarter,
or drive out from below Mt. Asama.
Concept
We have two private houses in Ise, the city in Mie Prefecture that is home to Ise Jingu (Ise Grand Shrine). Each house takes only one group per night, so the space is yours alone, with no other guests around.
Minato (湊, “harbor”) is a townhouse in Kawasaki, the old merchant quarter that supplied the shrine’s pilgrims. Ryo (稜, as in “ridgeline”) is a house at the foot of Mt. Asama. The settings differ, and so does the kind of stay each one suits. Choose the house that fits your trip.
We accept a single booking for each night
A private space where you will not cross paths with other guests or the host
Both houses take up to six people, whether family or friends
Let yourself in with a smart lock. Check-in is from 3:00 p.m.
Stay
A 1920 townhouse you can walk to from the station, or a quiet house at the foot of Mt. Asama for a trip by car. Each is rented whole to one group per night, for up to six guests.
Kawasaki | About 12 min on foot from Iseshi Station
Stay among the old storehouses of Kawasaki, the merchant quarter that supplied Ise Jingu’s pilgrims.
Asama | About 10–15 min by car to Naiku (Inner Shrine)
Slow down at the foot of Mt. Asama, the sacred mountain said to guard Ise Jingu.
Compare
Both take up to six guests in two bedrooms. What differs is the location, how you get around, the bath, and how you will eat.
| Feature | Ise-kawasaki -湊- Minato | Ise-Asama -稜- Ryo |
|---|---|---|
| Area | Kawasaki, the old merchant quarter A district along the Seta River that has prospered since the Edo period (1603–1868) as the wholesale quarter supplying pilgrims to Ise Jingu. | The foot of Mt. Asama, Ise Jingu’s guardian mountain A still place with clear air, looking up at the ridgeline of the sacred mountain, which is said to shield the shrine from misfortune. |
| Getting there | About 12 min on foot from Iseshi Station Iseshi Station is on the JR and Kintetsu lines. By car, the house is about 6 min from the Ise interchange (Ise IC) on the Ise Expressway. | Car or rental car recommended Public transport is limited. |
| To Ise Jingu | Geku (Outer Shrine): about 20 min on foot Naiku (Inner Shrine): about 15 min by car. Without a car, walk to Iseshi Station and take a bus or taxi from there. | Naiku (Inner Shrine) and Oharai-machi: about 10–15 min by car Oharai-machi is the street of shops on the approach to Naiku. Futamiura and Kongosho-ji Temple on Mt. Asama, both traditionally part of the Ise pilgrimage route, are also about 10–20 min by car. |
| Bath | Open-air bath in the courtyard A tub in the style of a goemon-buro, the traditional Japanese cauldron bath, set in the courtyard. | Large bath that opens to the outdoors Fold the accordion windows fully open and it becomes a semi-open-air bath. |
| Kitchen and meals | No kitchen The Kawasaki area has many places to eat within walking distance. | Full kitchen Equipped with cookware and tableware for six. |
| Parking | Free, 1 car A dedicated space for the house. | Free, up to 3 cars On the property, in the yard in front of the house. |
| Building | Traditional townhouse built in 1920 Once the premises of a vinegar wholesaler, now fully renovated, including the bath, toilet and washroom. | Fully renovated detached house The building had been left empty for more than 30 years before it was brought back to life. |
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Still deciding?
Coming by train and eating out in Kawasaki? Choose -湊- Minato. Touring by car and cooking at the house? Choose -稜- Ryo.
Area Guide
Ise Jingu has two main sites: Geku, the Outer Shrine, and Naiku, the Inner Shrine. Here are the places that are easy to reach from each house, with approximate travel times.
A historic streetscape of storehouses and townhouses dating back to the Edo period. Cafés and small shops occupy converted storehouses, and the Ise Kawasaki Shoninkan (merchant museum) shows how the quarter lived and traded.
Early morning is an especially good time to visit. Set out at an easy pace from Kawasaki, the quarter that helped the shrine flourish.
The main destination of a pilgrimage to Ise. On the approach, the streets of Oharai-machi and Okage Yokocho are the place to snack as you stroll and look for souvenirs.
A scenic mountain road over Mt. Asama. Ryo makes a handy base for a drive through to the Shima and Toba area.
A popular aquarium where you can see sea otters and dugongs. It is easy to combine with a drive toward Shima and Toba.
A theme park built around ninja and the Sengoku (Warring States) period. A good choice for families with children.
Coming from Nagoya, Osaka or Kansai Airport? See how to get to Iseshi Station by train in the FAQ.
FAQ
Both houses are booked through Airbnb. You can check availability and prices on each house’s Airbnb page. Payment is also made through Airbnb.
The cancellation terms are shown on Airbnb’s booking screen once you select your dates. Please check what Airbnb shows before you book.
At both houses, check-in is from 3:00 p.m. and check-out is by 11:00 a.m. Check-in is self-service, with a smart lock.
Kawasaki -湊- Minato: The house is about 12 minutes on foot from Iseshi Station (JR and Kintetsu lines). Geku, the Outer Shrine of Ise Jingu, is about 20 minutes on foot, and the restaurants of the Kawasaki area are within walking distance. Naiku, the Inner Shrine, is about 15 minutes by car. Without a car, walk to Iseshi Station and take a bus or taxi from there.
Asama -稜- Ryo: The house is within walking distance of Asama Station, but trains are infrequent. Since you will also need to get around during your stay, we recommend coming by car or rental car. Naiku and Oharai-machi are about 10–15 minutes by car.
Take the train to Iseshi Station, which is served by both Kintetsu Railway and JR. From all three places, the main route is a Kintetsu Limited Express. The times below are approximate and vary by train, so please check the latest timetable before you travel.
From Nagoya: about 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by Kintetsu Limited Express, with no change of trains. Take one bound for Ujiyamada, Isuzugawa, Toba or Kashikojima, not one bound for Osaka.
From Osaka: about 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes by Kintetsu Limited Express from Osaka-Namba Station.
From Kansai International Airport: about 3 hours, changing from Nankai Electric Railway to Kintetsu in Osaka. This total is our own estimate, made by adding up the three legs below and allowing for waiting time.
Tickets and rail passes: please note two points before you travel.
From Iseshi Station: Kawasaki -湊- Minato is about 12 minutes on foot. For Asama -稜- Ryo, we recommend a car or rental car. The house is within walking distance of Kintetsu’s Asama Station, but Limited Express trains do not stop there. Local trains from Iseshi take about 8–9 minutes and run only about twice an hour during the day.
Both houses have free parking.
Kawasaki -湊- Minato: A dedicated space for one car.
Asama -稜- Ryo: Room for up to three cars in the yard in front of the house, on the property.
Each house takes up to six guests (infants not counted) and has two bedrooms. There are no bed frames: you sleep on mattresses laid on the floor, and bedding is provided for six. We have chosen well-regarded bedding. Parties and events are not allowed.
The Airbnb page for each house notes that some features are not suitable for infants under 2. If you are traveling with children, please message the host on Airbnb before you book.
No. Pets are not allowed at either house.
No. Both houses are non-smoking.
At both houses, shoes are not worn indoors, so please take them off when you come inside. Parties, events and commercial photography are not allowed. Insects may get indoors in some seasons, so please use the window screens and keep doors and windows shut when you go out.
Kawasaki -湊- Minato: This is a traditional wooden building, so it is less soundproof than a modern reinforced-concrete one. Please keep noise down at night.
Asama -稜- Ryo: The neighborhood is quiet. After 9:00 p.m., please avoid loud conversation and noise outdoors.
Reservations, availability and prices are all on each house’s Airbnb page.
Ise-kawasaki -湊- Minato
Kawasaki | About 12 min on foot from Iseshi Station
Check dates on Airbnb for Ise-kawasaki -湊- Minato (opens in a new tab)Ise-Asama -稜- Ryo
Asama | About 10–15 min by car to Naiku (Inner Shrine)
Check dates on Airbnb for Ise-Asama -稜- Ryo (opens in a new tab)If your dates are already taken at one house, check the other.
About
For questions about bookings, availability or your stay, please message the host through Airbnb.
Minato on Airbnb (opens in a new tab) / Ryo on Airbnb (opens in a new tab)
For anything else, KBC-LLC has a contact form on its corporate site. The form is in Japanese only.
Contact form (Japanese page)