Architecture Japanese Art

Ise Jingu (Shrine)

Hi everyone how are you? Today’s topic is Ise Jingu (Shrine) which has over 2000 years history and it is one of “Cool Japan”.

How many jinjya (shirine) are there in Japan now?

According to the recent survey, it says approximately 80,000 throughout the country. Among them, Ise Jingu (Shrine) is considered as one of the most venerable shrine in our country.

So let’s go to the shrine to get to know its history, shall we?

Features of Ise Jingu (Shrine)

A cluster of buildings nestling in a vast expance of forest. This is the Inner Shrine of Ise Jingu. Located in Mie Prefecture, Ise Jingu is one of the most important shirines in all of Japan.

Shrine

The grounds of the Inner Shrine are covered with cedar and cypres tree that are over 300 years old and have been left untouched to this day.

To reach the main shrine buildings, visitors have to walk along the approach which is more than one kilometer long.

Shrine

Enshrined here is Amaterasu Omikami, the sun deity who appears in Japanese mythology.

Shrine

The outer Shrine was built to form a pair with the Inner Shrine. These two shrines and 123 other affiliated shrines in the vicinity are collectively known as Ise Jingu.

It’s said that Ise Jingu was founded about 2,000 years ago. Amaterasu Omikami is considered the tutelary deity of the Imperial Family, so Ise Jingu became an object of fervent worship for many aristocrats and warriors.

From the 17th century, the religous admiration for Ise Jingu spread to the common people, and there were repeated pilgrimage booms.

It’s even recoded that, in one year, around 10 percent of the country’s population visited Ise Jingu.

Ise Jingu is closely associated with Japan’s culture of rice cultivation. This is evident in the Kannamesai ritual, held in October every year.

Ise Jingu,Shrine

Kannamesai is one of the annual events held by the Imperial Family. Offerings to the year’s first harvest of rice are made to Ise Jingu as an expression of thanks for yet another bountiful year.

The special architectural style of Ise Jingu also reveals its link to rice cultivation. The buildings are supposedly modelled on rice granaries from the Yayoi period, the time when rice cultivation began in Japan.

Ise Jingu

The pillars and walls are made of unpainted wood, and the roofs are thatched. Built in a very austere manner, these structures deteriorate overt time.

In order to keep them looking good, each building is regularly rebuilt in exactly the same form on the adjacent plot of land, and the deity is transferred into the new hall. Carried out every 20 years, this called Shikinen Sengu.

Ise Jingu

It’s believed that Shikinen Sengu restores the power of the deity. At Ise Jingu, it has been conducted regularly since 690  for centuries, and that’s why its ancient architectural style has been perfectly preserved to this day.

Ise Jingu has been a place of worsip since ancient times. Its close association with Japanese culture is apparent from the buildings and customs that have been carefully maintained.

Ise Jingu,

I think you could understand how admirable shrine has been, it’s well worth a visit while in Japan.

Last but not least, “Let’s pray to offer thanks at the shrine and your ancestor at the temple” being well-worth a vist too, thanks

About the author

古林 茂樹(Shigeki Furubayashi )