Ise Shrine (Ise-jingū 伊勢神宮; alternately Grand Shrines
of Ise or Ise Daijingū 伊勢大神宮) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu
ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Ise is
serviced by JR trains from Nagoya and the
southern coast of Wakayama. If coming in from
Osaka, a slightly cheaper and faster option is to take the private
Kintetsu line.
Officially known simply as Jingū or "The Shrine," Ise Jingū is in fact
a shrine complex composed of over one hundred individual shrines,
divided into two main parts. Gekū (外宮) or the Outer Shrine is located
in the town of Yamada and dedicated to the deity Toyouke no ōmikami,
while Naikū (内宮) or the Inner Shrine is located in the town of Uji and
dedicated to Amaterasu ōmikami. The two are located some six
kilometres apart, joined by a pilgrimage road that passes through the
old entertainment district of Furuichi.
Roof of the Grand Shrine, Naiku, Ise Shrine, Japan --
by
jpatokal
According to the official chronology, the shrines
were originally constructed in the year 4 BC, but most historians date
them from several hundred years later, with 690 AD widely considered
the date when the shrines were first built in their current form. They
are mentioned in the annals of the Kojiki and Nihonshoki (dating from
712 and 720, respectively). The old shrines are dismantled and new
ones built to exacting specifications every 20 years at exorbitant
expense. The present buildings, dating from 1993, are the 61st
iteration to date and are scheduled for rebuilding in 2013.
Ise Shrine - Picture by
Fg2
Reputedly the home of one of the Japanese Emperor's Sacred Mirror, the
shrine is arguably the holiest and most important Shinto site. Access
to both sites is strictly limited, with the common public allowed to
see little more than the thatched roofs of the central structures,
hidden behind three tall wooden fences.
Looking for
Nagoya
Accommodation?
Please support our site by using our
Nagoya Hotel reservation system
and save up to 70% on your Nagoya accommodation.
(Article based on
Wikipedia article and used under the
GNU Free Documentation License)
|
