About Ise Grand Shrine
Ise Jingu Shrine is a shrine located in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. It was first built in the 26th year of Emperor Taruhito (4 years), and its main deity is Amaterasu Omikami. It is one of the oldest shrines in Japan, and its site is mostly forested, commonly known as the Jingu Forest, while the shrine itself is called the Miyazato Forest. The main part of the shrine forest is made up of Mount Shinji, Mount Shimaji, and Mount Takakura, and covers an area of 5,410 hectares, of which 2,500 hectares are natural forest and the rest is planted.
The inner shrine is called the Imperial Grand Shrine, dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami, and the outer shrine is called the Toyosu Grand Shrine, dedicated to Toyosu Omikami. In addition, there are a series of shrines, such as the other shrines, the regalia, the last shrine, and the sokusha, all of which are called jingu, and are commonly called Ise Jingu 125 shrines. In order to keep the shrine clean and solemn, the main shrine of Ise Jingu is rebuilt every 20 years in its original form, called the Jingu-style annual relocation of the shrine. The building materials that are eliminated after the reconstruction are distributed to other shrines and facilities within the shrine, or are given to shrines around Japan for reuse.
Ise Shrine is one of the most important shrines in Japan, and was designated by the Meiji government as a shrine at the apex of the national Shinto religion; after the Second World War, it was designated as the main office of religious corporations and the main shrine of the nation. It has become a custom to pay homage to the shrine.
How to get there
(1)20 minutes by bus from Kintetsu/JR Ise-shi Station or Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station (Take the Soten-Naiku circulation bus from Kintetsu/JR Ise-shi Station, Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station or Kintetsu Ujiyamada Station/Isuzugawa Station and get off at the “Uchikyu-mae” stop)
(2)5 minutes drive from Ise Nishi IC (Exit at Ise Nishi IC on Ise Expressway and drive 5 minutes toward Uchikyu Shrine.)
Tips
I visited the shrine at 7:00 in the morning. There were not many people there, and the atmosphere was very solemn. The staff members were sprinkling water and cleaning the shrine, and I was able to enjoy a peaceful visit to the shrine in a clean environment. The Isuzu River was quiet and still, and I felt refreshed.
Website
https://www.isejingu.or.jp/en/