Ise Grand Shrine

The Supreme Shrine Of Shinto; Rebuilt Every Twenty Years In The Shikinen Sengu · Ise, Mie

The holiest shrine in Shinto, in the forested city of Ise in Mie prefecture, dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess and ancestor of the imperial family. Ise Jingu is in fact a complex of 125 shrines, centred on two: the Geku, the Outer Shrine, dedicated to the goddess of food and harvest, and the Naiku, the Inner Shrine, which is said to hold the sacred mirror, one of the three imperial regalia. The main sanctuaries are built of plain unpainted cypress in an ancient style, and every twenty years they are completely rebuilt on an adjacent plot, in a ritual called Shikinen Sengu that has continued for some thirteen centuries; the next is in 2033. Visitors cannot enter the inner precincts and see only glimpses behind fences, but the approach is the experience: crossing the Uji bridge over the Isuzu river, walking gravel paths through giant cedars, and purifying hands in the clear river. Outside the Naiku, the Oharai-machi and Okage Yokocho streets recreate an Edo-period pilgrim town, famous for akafuku rice cakes. Tradition says visit the Geku first. Trains run from Nagoya and Osaka.

1 Ujitachicho, Ise, Mie, 516-0023, Japan

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The structure: both shrines open daily from about 5 am, closing between about 5 and 7 pm depending on the season, later in summer and earlier in winter; there are no closing days. The Sengukan museum keeps shorter daytime hours and may close on set days. Shops in Oharai-machi open from morning to early evening. Traps: the last buses between the shrines leave in the early evening; Kintetsu limited express seats need reserving; New Year brings crowd control. Confirm times before relying on them.

Ise Grand Shrine on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos