Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine rebuilt every 20yrs for more than a millennium
4 hours ago
- #Tradition
- #Shinto
- #Japan
- Ise Jingu, Japan's most revered Shinto shrine, is rebuilt every 20 years, a tradition lasting over 1,300 years.
- The rebuilding process takes nine years and involves the country's finest craftsmen, costing around $390 million.
- The shrine's buildings stand for only about a decade before the cycle of demolition and reconstruction begins anew.
- The ritual includes harvesting sacred cypress trees, with ceremonies that honor the trees and the continuity of life.
- The inner shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and the rebuilding includes 125 buildings and over 1,500 ritual objects.
- The tradition was only interrupted twice, during civil wars and after World War II.
- Shinto priests perform purification rites and ask mountain deities for permission before felling trees.
- The shrine attracts millions of pilgrims annually, offering a deep sense of mystery and spiritual connection.
- The attention to detail in the rebuilding includes specially grown miscanthus reed for roofs and cypress groves planted for future constructions.
- The emotional and spiritual significance of the trees and the rebuilding process is deeply felt by those involved.