What kind of place is Matsusaka?

Only 10 minutes from the nearest station to IseJingu!
Take a historical walk through the castle town of wealthy merchants,
Enjoy authentic Matsusaka beef gourmet food.

Matsusaka Station is about 10 minutes from IseCity Station and 25 minutes from Toba Station by Kintetsu Limited Express.
A perfect location to visit before or after visiting Ise. Matsusaka flourished as a commercial town during the Edo period and became a town of wealthy merchants. Castle ruins and samurai residences still remain, giving the town a retro feel. We also recommend taking a stroll around MatsusakaCotton in a stylish kimono. You can't miss the authentic Matsusaka beef.
The visuals of the marbled meat, with its beautiful curves, are so beautiful that they are called ``meat works of art.'' Your heart will beat faster. We can't stop praising the soft, melt-in-your-mouth taste with comments such as ``Exquisite!'' and ``Delicious!'' Part of the fun is deciding which one to choose, from long-established sukiyaki to yakiniku.

Matsusaka, the town of wealthy merchants
What is the Tourism Exchange Center?

In the center of Matsusaka's wealthy merchants, such as the Mitsui family, the Hasegawa family, and the Ozu family, a new landmark in Matsusaka, the Matsusaka Tourism Exchange Center, the town of wealthy merchants, will be born.
It is a new base facility for "town tourism" that fully introduces Matsusaka's history, culture, food, and other attractions, and can be used as a convenient starting point for walking around the town, gathering information, and searching for souvenirs.
Why not experience the charm of Matsusaka and go for a walk around the city to your favorite spots?

Introducing the inside of the building!

1F: Guidance floor

guidance floor

On the 1st floor, you can find information on surrounding cultural facilities, sightseeing spots and gourmet food in the city, and purchase souvenirs unique to Matsusaka.

As a guide for sightseeing in the town, please stop by before heading out for a walk around town.

Machinaka tourist information display
Machinaka tourist information
 
Town walking arrangement service (information terminal)
You can also get information about Matsusaka beef and local gourmet restaurants, as well as advice on convenient ways to get around the surrounding spots.
This is a general information center for sightseeing in the town.
Souvenir sales
 
Matsusaka meat, Matsusaka tea, Matsusaka sweets, etc...

Recommended points

Check out the areas and shops that interest you from the map with our city walking arrangement service! Create your own “town walking map” and go out!

2F: Exhibition floor

exhibition floor

On the 2nd floor, we will introduce the secrets and charms of Matsusaka, where many great people and unique culture were born, through panel exhibitions and theater videos on the theme of ``Visit of Sangu Kaido''.

In addition, the open space will be used for special exhibitions, events, and learning.

highway exhibition
Matsusaka Historical Road Exhibition
 
Panels display colorful illustrations of MotooriNorinaga, TakatoshiMitsui, Matsusaka merchants, Shawa and Chuman merchants, Matsusaka Momen, Matsusaka tea, and more.
Matsusaka Monogatari Theater
 
You can see the history and culture of Matsusaka that you can't see now through CG and live-action dramas. Introducing the history of Matsusaka, the bustle of the Sangu Road during the Edo period, and the wealthy merchants born from the circulation of information, including MotooriNorinaga and TakatoshiMitsui Mitsui. Please take a look at scenes such as GojobanYashiki, videos of Matsusaka beef and Matsusaka cotton, and the scenery of Matsusaka in each season.
A cityscape model that recreates the bustle of Sangu Kaido
 
A model that faithfully reproduces the townscape of Matsusaka during the Edo period. You can see the size of the mansions of wealthy merchants and the sights of tourists visiting Ise Shrine.
We recommend taking photos with your smartphone from the perspective of a traveler, as it will make you feel like you have traveled back in time.

Recommended points

After learning about the history of Matsusaka, the bustle of Sangu Kaido in the Edo period, and the wealthy merchants born in Matsusaka at the Matsusaka Story Theater and panel exhibitions, let's head out to spots in town where you can experience real history!

Let's walk around Matsusaka, the town of wealthy merchants! Around the tourist exchange center
Tourist attractions

Former Hasegawa Jirobei family
(Former Hasegawa residence)
Former Hasegawa Jirobee family (former Hasegawa residence)
This mansion on Uomachi Street was the Edo period cotton wholesaler ``Tambaya''. The calm appearance of the building, with its latticework, mist-covered five storehouses, and raised roof, shows the prosperity of the Matsusaka merchants at the time.
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GojobanYashiki
GojobanYashiki
A historical space that quietly breathes between the pine fence and stone pavement, this is a samurai residence where the Kishu clan samurai moved to protect Matsuzaka Castle at the end of the Edo period. Group houses like this are very rare in Japan, and people still live here today.
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Matsuzaka Castle Ruins
Matsuzaka Castle Ruins
The castle was built in 1588 by Ujisato Gamo. There are no buildings, only the stone walls of the mansion remain, but there is MotooriNorinaga Memorial Museum, the History and Folklore Museum, and GojobanYashiki of the samurai nagaya. It is a famous spot for cherry blossoms and wisteria and is popularly known as Matsusaka Park.
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MotooriNorinaga Memorial Museum
MotooriNorinaga Memorial Museum
The museum's collection contains approximately 10,000 handwritten manuscripts and personal items by MotooriNorinaga famous for the ``Kojikiden.'' It reopened in March 2017, with exhibits that are easier to understand and enjoy. The life of the great Japanese scholar was remembered.
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Former Ozu Seizaemon family
(Matsusaka merchant's house)
Former Ozu Seizaemon family (Matsusaka merchant's house)
This was the residence of Seizaemon Ozu, a wealthy merchant who traded paper and cotton in Edo. The mansion is surprisingly spacious given its simple exterior with latticework and arrows, and there are still two storehouses left, reminding us of the lifestyle of the ``Edo-ten mochi Ise merchants.''
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