Large fire spreads in central Japan shopping district near Ise Jingu shrine

A large fire broke out Monday afternoon in a shopping district near Ise Jingu shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, spreading to multiple buildings. The blaze ignited around 3:15 p.m. local time in the shopping street near the outer shrine of one of Japan's most sacred Shinto sites. Ten fire engines were dispatched and no injuries had been reported as of the initial emergency response.

A nearby restaurant owner reported seeing black smoke and hearing sounds resembling exploding gas cylinders. Firefighting efforts were underway to contain the blaze. The affected shopping district sits approximately 100 meters from the outer shrine, which is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu.