About
Ise Grand Shrine, also known as Ise Jingu, is a Shinto shrine complex in Ise, Mie Prefecture, in Japan's Kansai Region. It is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and is regarded as the most sacred shrine in Japan.
What to expect
The shrine is made up of many separate sanctuaries set among quiet forest, so a visit is more a slow walk than a single stop. Much of the complex is approached along paths shaded by tall trees, and the atmosphere is calm and reflective. Visitors are often struck by how the buildings sit within their natural surroundings.
A shrine that is rebuilt
One of the most distinctive things about Ise Grand Shrine is that it is rebuilt every 20 years, following a tradition that dates back more than 1,300 years. The new structures are built in the same style as the old, so the shrine is continually renewed rather than kept as a fixed monument. This makes it a place where you can sense both age and continuity.
Around the shrine
- The city of Ise, which grows up around the shrine and offers a relaxed local setting.
- The surrounding Mie Prefecture, reachable as part of a wider trip through the Kansai Region.
The shrine is at 1 Ujitachicho, Ise, Mie 516-0023, Japan. To ask about visiting, you can call +81-596-24-1111. Those interested in Shinto and Japanese religious life will find it a particularly meaningful place to spend time.
