God's home
Ise Jingu, Mie
Shinto's principle deity, Amaterasu-
Omikami, was born out of the left eye
of Izanagi, father of many of Japan's
land-masses, deities and forebears,
while he was purifying himself in a river.
We don't know when that occurred but
about 2,000 years ago, Yamatohime-nomikoto,
the daughter of the emperor
Suinin, embarked on a twenty-year quest
to find the proper location for a shrine to
venerate Amaterasu. She set off from Mt.
Miwa (itself the site of an important shrine)
in Nara and when she eventually found
herself in Mie, she heard Amaterasu speaking
to her saying this was a nice, appropriately
secluded spot. That's how God's home,
Ise Shrine or Ise Jingu was founded.
The word shrine is an overly simple term
for this vast complex, which is home to two
major shrines and at least 91 associated
shrines (or 123, if you count all those in Ise).
 The two principals are known as Naiku
(inner shrine) and Geku (outer shrine), loca-
ted six kilometres apart. Of the two main
shrines, Naiku, dedicated to Amaterasu, is
the most important. Geku is dedicated to
Toyouke-mikami, the goddess of agriculture
and industry, who is enshrined here to
provide sacred food to Amaterasu.
Naiku and Geku are both built in a unique
style called Shinmeizukuri and such is the
regard of this place, no other structure in
Japan in is permitted to use the same style.
Naiku and Geku are themselves dismantled
and rebuilt every twenty years in order to
keep them fresh and pristine - a custom
that illustrates how far embedded the con-
cept of renewal is in the national psyche.
However, the visitor should not expect
to enter or even see either of the two main
shrines. They are so holy, they are shielded
from view by high fences, leaving only the
thatched roofs visible. Note also that photo-
graphy is prohibited here and the rule is
strictly enforced.
The fact that the two main shrines are
not accessible does nothing to diminish
the experience of a visit to Ise, and for
the faithful probably deepens the sense
of mystery of the place.
Access to the main grounds housing Naiku
is over the Uji bridge. You pass through
landscaped gardens before reaching a
large torii (orange gate of the distinctive
Shinto design). Beyond this the land is
wooded. Even to the non-believer, there
is a powerful atmosphere. The trees pal-
pably ancient - they are massive and
moss covered and some probably date
back to the shrine's foundation. There is
a sense of deep peace and quiet and of
nature being allowed to do its own thing.
The path to Naiku takes you by other
venerated and ancient structures such as
Saikan and Anzaisho, the hall for visitors
from the Imperial Household and a resi-
dence for priests undergoing elaborate
purification rituals in preparation for rites
at the main shrine. You will also pass the
Imbiyaden hall which houses the sacred
flame used to prepare all food offerings
to Amaterasu and the officiating priests.
New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and the
days immediately following, peace is not
in it, as tens, if not hundreds of thousands
of visitors throng the shrine for hatsumode,
the first visit to a shrine to give thanks and
to pray for luck and health in the coming
year.
Annually, TV cameras record this pheno-
menon and the TV station's New Year
broadcasts cut frequently to Ise. For a
visitor or expatriate seeking a real Japan
experience, New Year at Ise must come
high on the list, or if the mind-boggling
crowds are too much, then a visit at some
other time is a must.
Text: Chris Page • Photos: Tanja Poppelreuter
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