Ise shrine

2018年 10月12日


Regarded as the most important place of shinto cult in Japan, the Ise jingu (shrine) is located in the city of the same name in Mie prefecture. According to the Nihonshoki (Annals or Chronicles of Japan), it is to Ise that Amaterasu (Japanese deity of the sun) lived before going to Nara to found the imperial dynasty. Amaterasu being one of the greatest Japanese deities, the Ise jingu is one of the most sacred places of Shinto worship.

In concrete terms, the sanctuary is made up of more than a hundred buildings, the two main ones being the Naiku dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu and the Geku dedicated to the goddess Toyôke. On the other hand, the access to the places being regulated, only a part of the sanctuaries is accessible to the public.
The sanctuary of Ise is certainly not so impressive if we compare it to certain Buddhist temples like the Tôdai-ji in Nara. But the story and the mystery it contains is the source of all its interest. Indeed, a part of Naiku being reserved for the emperor, the imperial family and some high dignitaries of shinto, the sanctity of the sanctuary is strongly felt.
Finally, we must also know that the temple is rebuilt identically every 20 years as a pledge of purity. Its current version dates from 2013 and was rebuilt for the 61st time. This represents a tradition dating back over 1200 years.

Finally, close to the sanctuary, in Futami Bay, you can see the famous Meoto Iwa wedded rocks or enjoy the Ise trail that connects the city to Kumani and is one of the sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the mountains. Kii listed as World Heritage by Unesco. So I let you see some pictures of Ise.