Location: Ise, Mie Prefecture Map
Constructed: 1st century AD
Dedicated: goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami
Ise Shrine is a religious complex in Ise, Mie Prefecture in Japan. It was constructed in first century and dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami. The Shrine of Ise (伊 勢 神宮), also known as the Great Shrine of Ise (伊 勢 大 神宮) And officially as The Sanctuary (神宮), Is the most important Shintō shrine in Japan. It is considered the most sacred place of this religion. It is located in the city of Ise, in the center of the prefecture of Mie, in the central-southern region of the country. The area in which the sanctuary is located is part of the Ise-Shima National Park, which also includes other sacred and historical sites, such as Meoto Iwa and Saiku (imperial residence during the Heian era). The Sanctuary is mentioned in the two oldest books of Japan, the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki, written at the beginning of the 8th century, in which it is mentioned that the legendary foundation of the Sanctuary was made in the year by Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto, daughter of Emperor Suinin.
Ise Shrine consists of two complexes. The first, the inner sanctuary
of Nike, is dedicated to the progenitor of the imperial family, the
goddess Amaterasu. The second, outer shrine, Geku, is dedicated to the
goddess of food, Toyouke, who plays the role of a cook under Amaterasu.
The distance between the outer and inner sanctuaries is about 4
kilometers. Until 1945, the temple was separated from the rest of the
world by the Miyagawa River, acting as the boundary of the sacred land.
Priests were forbidden to cross this river, so as not to violate the
purity necessary for serving as kami. Violation of this prohibition, it
was believed, would bring many troubles to the country. Until the 12th
century, when power passed into the hands of the shoguns, priests
sometimes used this prohibition, blackmailing the government that if
their demands were not met, they would cross the sacred river and
personally appear in the capital.
Inside the huge temple complex
there are various secondary sanctuaries, as well as subsidiary farms. In
particular, Ise has its own orchards, orchards, a salt mill, and sake
production. In these fields and gardens, food is produced for the kami
worshiped on the territory of the sanctuary. All of it is cooked in the
Toyouke Shrine, on a pure fire made entirely by friction. Kami dishes
are simple clay plates and cups without any painting or enamel. They are
also made in Ise territory. It is believed that the kami should receive
their food twice a day. Previously, Amaterasu ate boiled rice, as well
as fruits and vegetables grown on the temple grounds. During the Meiji
period, with the return of power to the emperor, dried tuna, sea bream,
shellfish, seaweed and sake were added to the diet of Amaterasu. At the
same time, Meiji himself is still brought only rice and water.
A
pilgrimage road along the Isuzu River leads to the inner sanctuary. Next
to it there are shops and eateries where a tired traveler can buy
various food or souvenirs. In the old days, you could even come across a
red light district near the road. The road eventually leads to a bridge
over the Isuzu River leading to the grounds of the Inner Shrine.
Previously, it was supposed to ford the river, thereby performing the
rite of ablution. Now, however, all you need to do is wash your hands
and rinse your mouth. A wide road leads from the bridge to the sanctuary
itself. It is recommended to walk along its side, as the middle is
reserved for kami. Two pairs of torii lead to the shrine. Next to the
first there is a pavilion for ablutions, temizuya. Not far from it you
can find a descent to the river, where you can perform a more complete
rite of ablution. Next to it is the shrine of Takimatsuri-ookami, the
deity of the source of the Isuzu River. After passing the second torii,
you can see the stables in which the sinme lives - the horse of the
deity. According to ancient traditions, one such horse lives in the
inner sanctuary, and two in the outer. Also, sacred shinkei roosters are
kept in the Ise Shrine. These roosters are revered as messengers of
Amaterasu.
It is believed that kami love everything new and
clean. Therefore, all buildings must be regularly rebuilt. In Ise, these
traditions are strictly observed and every 20 years a new dwelling is
built for Amaterasu and Toyouke.
The shrines were last updated in
2013. Construction cost approximately 57 billion yen (which was about
$550 million).
Initially, the shrines of Amaterasu and Okunitama were located in the
imperial chambers and roamed along with the imperial family. In the
fourth century, Emperor Sujin was terrified of the proximity to the
deities and ordered their shrines to be taken to the village of Kasanui,
located near the then location of the palace. In the fourth century,
Emperor Suinin, who inherited the throne from Sujin, set out to find a
place for a permanent shrine to Amaterasu. The search for the place was
entrusted to Princess Yamato-hime no mikoto. When the girl reached Ise,
Amaterasu herself turned to her and said that it was here that she
wanted to live. The princess herself became the first of the sayo
princesses to play the role of high priestesses and mediums at the same
time. The tradition of appointing princesses as priestesses of the most
important sanctuaries ceased in the 12th century, along with the decline
of imperial power. In 478, almost 500 years after the founding of the
Amaterasu shrine, the shrine of the goddess Toyouke was also moved to
Ise by the will of the goddess. Since it was located near the Miyagawa
River, which is the boundary of the holy land, Toyouke Shrine became
known as the Outer Shrine or the Geku Chambers. The shrine of Amaterasu
was given the name of the inner shrine of Naiku.
It was believed
that the fate of the imperial family, and with it the rest of the
country, depended on the correctness and purity of the rites performed
in Ise. No private interests should have interfered with this process,
and all rituals were aimed only at achieving the good of the state as a
whole. Therefore, the Ise Shrine was maintained only with public money
and no private offerings were accepted. However, in the 12th century,
power passed into the hands of the shoguns and financial support from
the state ceased. This forced the priests to break the age-old
traditions. The ancient norito were changed, and the Shinto purification
rite of the harae was presented as a prerequisite for attaining Buddhist
enlightenment. Nevertheless, in conditions of general instability, the
material well-being of the temple was out of the question. Until the
beginning of the 17th century, when the country was united by the
Tokugawa clan, financial support was limited to rare donations from the
powerful of this world [2]. Due to constant civil strife, a special tax
for the maintenance of temples was no longer collected, and as a result,
there was no money left even for the most important ritual - the renewal
of the god's dwelling. The tradition of rebuilding the sanctuaries was
interrupted for more than a hundred years. The rebuilding of the inner
sanctuary did not take place from 1462 to 1585, and it gradually
collapsed due to lack of funding. The outer sanctuary was last rebuilt
in 1434 and burned down in 1487. It was rumored that the shingtai of the
corresponding deity was also burned. The outer sanctuary was rebuilt
only in 1563. Due to the lack of the necessary facilities, some of the
rituals were reduced, and some were completely canceled. When at the end
of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century the authorities set about
restoring the temple complex, it had to be rebuilt almost from scratch.
With the advent of peace, the temple engaged in active propaganda
among the common population. For this, entire corporations of
respectable mentors (onsi or axis) were formed, who went to the
provinces to agitate the population to make a pilgrimage to the temple.
Previously, this was forbidden, and later it was impossible due to
constant strife. However, with the advent of peace, these pilgrimages
became extremely popular. In their wanderings, the mentors handed out
tablets, strips of paper or matter with the name of Amaterasu. By the
19th century, 90% of families received such amulets, called jingu taima
and revered as a kind of receptacle for the kami spirit.
Supreme Priest
From the 7th to the 14th centuries, the main
priestesses of the sanctuary were the princesses of the Japanese
imperial house - the saigū[5]. According to the Man'yoshu chronicle, the
first priestess was Princess Okunohime-miko, daughter of Emperor Temmu
during the Asuka period. Priestesses in Ise are also mentioned in the
novels of Genji Monogatari and Ise Monogatari.
Holidays
December 31 - January 1 - New Year
April 5 - April 7 - Kagura-sai, a
festival of court music and dance
mid-May - Otaue-sai, rice field
festival
June 15 - June 17 - Tsukunami-sai
autumn equinox -
Kagura-sai, a festival of court music and dance
October 15 - October
17 - Gangname-sai, rice harvest festival
November 23 - Niiname-sai,
the feast of the consecration of rice
December 15 - December 17 -
Tsukunami-sai