Uji Bridge at the entrance to the Inner Shrine

Ise Grand Shrine

伊勢神宮 · Ise, Mie

Foto: Zairon · CC BY 4.0

Japan's foremost shrine, dedicated to Amaterasu: cross the Uji Bridge into two thousand years of forest and prayer.

Antes de ir · Know before you go

  • Photography is banned at the innermost part of the main sanctuaries — take photos only outside the designated points
  • walk at the side of the approach, as the centre is the gods' path
  • don't speak loudly

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Stories & people

Historias y personajes

Leyenda

Yamatohime-no-mikoto searches for a home for Amaterasu

The Nihon Shoki records that about two thousand years ago, Yamatohime-no-mikoto, daughter of Emperor Suinin, set out from Mount Miwa in Nara to find a permanent place to worship Amaterasu, ancestral deity of the imperial family; after twenty years of wandering through Ōmi, Mino and other provinces, she finally came to Ise.

Fuente: Wikipedia: Ise Grand Shrine

Historia

The great ceremony held every twenty years

Ise Jingū holds a great ceremony every twenty years. Historical records show that during the ceremony of 1625, 3.62 million people came to worship within 50 days; in 1829, 1.18 million came in just three days.

Fuente: Wikipedia: Ise Grand Shrine

Culture

Cultura y costumbres

Contexto cultural

Ise Jingū centres on two main shrines: the Inner Shrine (Naikū), dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu, and the Outer Shrine (Gekū), dedicated to Toyouke, goddess of grain, with 123 related shrines around them. Every 20 years the shrine holds its great ceremony and rebuilds the main sanctuaries; records say that during the ceremony of 1625, 3.62 million people came to worship within 50 days.

Costumbres locales

  • The traditional order is to visit the Outer Shrine first, then the Inner Shrine
  • bow at the end of the Uji Bridge before crossing
  • you can purify your hands in the Isuzu River in front of the Inner Shrine

Religión y creencias

  • Shinto's most important shrine
  • the Inner Shrine enshrines Amaterasu, ancestral deity of the imperial family.

Etiquette

Normas y tabúes

No lo haga DON'T

  • Photography is banned at the innermost part of the main sanctuaries — take photos only outside the designated points
  • walk at the side of the approach, as the centre is the gods' path
  • don't speak loudly

Lo que aprecian los locales DO

Locals appreciate visitors who worship in the traditional order and take their time eating and drinking in Okage Yokochō, the shrine-front town.

Plan your visit

Información práctica

Mejor épocaEarly morning
Tiempo recomendadoHalf a day to a full day

Consejos de viaje

  • The Inner and Outer Shrines are about 6 km apart, linked by bus
  • visit early in the morning when it's quiet and the forest air is fresh
  • with the shrine-front town, allow half a day to a full day

Photos

Fotos

Fuentes y notas de verificación

Wikipedia: Ise Grand Shrine