Watarai

Watarai lies in Ise, home to the great shrines revered for their connection to the imperial line and the sun goddess Amaterasu. Pilgrims came from across Japan, assisted by shrine guides who distributed sacred offerings and maintained ties with devotional associations. During the Edo period, waves of mass pilgrimage known as okage-mairi brought extraordinary crowds. In 1830 reports of sacred signs accompanied another surge of travellers, and the roads to Ise filled with worshippers.