A major fire broke out on the afternoon of Aug. 31 on a shopping street in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, located adjacent to the renowned Ise Jingu shrine. The blaze rapidly engulfed multiple buildings, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Police said the fire was brought under control after approximately four and a half hours. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and details regarding the extent of damage and possible casualties are still awaiting further announcements from local police and fire authorities.
At around 3:15 pm local time on Aug. 31, authorities received an emergency call reporting a fire on the Meirin shopping street near Ise Jingu. The Ise City Fire Headquarters immediately dispatched firefighters to the scene. According to Kyodo News, which cited police sources, the fire was contained roughly four and a half hours later. Mie Prefecture and Ise City have set up a disaster response headquarters and issued evacuation orders to more than 500 residents in the vicinity of the blaze. Fuji News Network reported that fire officials said it was not yet clear whether anyone had been injured or failed to escape.
The Meirin shopping street is located in front of the Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station, just a few hundred metres from the outer shrine of Ise Jingu, one of Japan's most famous Shinto shrines. According to the shopping street's official website, it houses 26 shops, most of which are wooden structures. Due to the dense concentration of buildings in the area, the fire spread rapidly. Photos from the scene showed multiple structures engulfed in flames, with the glow visible from a distance. A 78‑year‑old man who runs a restaurant near the street told reporters that thick black smoke was rising from the site and that sounds resembling exploding gas canisters could be heard. "The shops near the station have been almost completely burned down," he said.
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