Ise Grand Shrine
Location
About
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine complex, Ise Jingū consists of the Inner Shrine (Naiku) dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami — the divine ancestor of the imperial family — and the Outer Shrine (Geku) dedicated to Toyouke-Ōmikami. The sacred mirror (Yata no Kagami) enshrined in the Inner Shrine is one of the Three Imperial Treasures of Japan. The entire complex is rebuilt from scratch every 20 years in the Shikinen Sengū ceremony.
Significance
Ise is the spiritual center of the Shinto religion and the symbol of the Japanese imperial family's divine lineage. The Shikinen Sengū ceremony — in which the entire shrine complex is rebuilt on an alternating site every 20 years using identical materials and techniques — is one of the world's most extraordinary preservation practices, maintaining traditional carpentry techniques over 1,300 years. Over 8 million visitors come annually.
History & Historical Arc
The Inner Shrine was founded according to tradition in the 3rd century BCE, though scholarly dating of the Sengū practic…
Archaeological Notes
The alternating site of the Sengū means that each 20-year cycle preserves the previous site's footprint while the new st…
Key Features & Structures
- Inner Shrine (Naiku) of Amaterasu
- Outer Shrine (Geku) of Toyouke
Visitor Information
Open daily from dawn. Non-Shinto may visit outer areas. No photography inside main shrine grounds. 120 km from Nagoya.
Related Figures
In the Bible
Source References
- Kojiki (712 CE), Vol. 1
- Nihon Shoki (720 CE), Vol. 5