MIE (TR) – A massive blaze completely destroyed a historic, post-war shopping arcade near the Ise Grand Shrine on Monday afternoon, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents, reports TV Asahi (Aug. 31).
Emergency services received multiple calls at around 3:15 p.m. reporting a fire at the Meirin Shopping District, located directly in front of Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station. By the time firefighters arrived, towering flames had already engulfed the tightly packed, aging wooden structures.
“It’s burning fiercely and just won’t go out,” one local resident said as the fire spread rapidly toward the arcade’s main gate. “It’s all old buildings.”
Police and firefighters battled the blaze for hours, their efforts hindered by a severe lack of rainfall. Ise City had recorded a mere 0.5 millimeters of rain over the previous ten days, leaving the wooden architecture dangerously dry.
80th anniversary
Established in 1947, shortly after World War II, the retro arcade was a beloved fixture of the local community and was set to celebrate its 80th anniversary next year.
The district was also renowned as the birthplace of legendary baseball pitcher Eiji Sawamura. A pre-war ace for the Yomiuri Giants who threw Japanese pro baseball’s first no-hitter, Sawamura is the namesake of the prestigious Sawamura Award. A stone monument honoring the legend’s birth was installed in the shopping street nine years ago.
“It’s been here forever. I’ve been watching it burn for an hour,” a male bystander lamented. “It’s incredibly sad, especially with the Eiji Sawamura memorial being there.”
The fire was brought under control just after 7:30 p.m., reducing the once-nostalgic arcade to ashes in a matter of hours.
While no injuries have been confirmed so far, firefighters are currently combing through the debris to ensure no one was left behind in the rubble. Authorities issued an evacuation order for more than 500 local residents as the flames threatened nearby homes, and the blaze triggered localized power outages affecting approximately 180 households.
