Located in Mie Prefecture, the Ise Grand Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess. Supposedly, the shrine or “Jingu” as it is commonly called, is home to the Sacred Mirror; this mirror was the one that drew Amaterasu from hiding and brought light back to the world. In reality, Ise Jingu is a complex of shrines centered around two main shrines, Naiku and Geku.
The inner shrine is Naiku, said to be where Amaterasu dwells even today. Whereas the outer shrine, Geku, is located about six kilometers from Naiku and dedicated to Toyouke-Omikami, the god of agriculture, rice, and harvest. There are an additional 123 shrines in Ise City surrounding both Naiku and Geku. The shrine buildings at Naiku and Geku are rebuilt every 20 years based upon a Shinto belief of death and renewal.
The shrine was established in 4 BCE when Princess Yamatohime no Mikoto wandered for twenty years looking for a place to worship the sun goddess. Upon arriving in Ise, Yamatohime received a message from Amaterasu saying that this was the land where she wished to reside. Today, only a person of the royal lineage may be the high priest or priestess of Ise Jingu.
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The inner and outer shrines are some 6 kilometers apart, therefore it's recommended that you visit by bus. Buses depart from Ujiyamada and Iseshi stations.
이세 시에 있는 이세 신궁은 일본에서 제일 신성한 신사로 유명하다. 작년(2013)에 20년마다 건물을 다시 짓기로 유명한 '식년천궁' 의식이 다시 치뤄졌었다. 신사 건물 뿐만 아니라, 이 곳은 순례길(참배길)과 먹거리, 마실거리로도 유명하다. 과거와 마찬가지로, 신궁에 다가가거나 방문 후에 음식을 먹는 것은 불가피한 일인 것이다. 유명한 음식으로는 아카후쿠 (단팥앙금이 들어있는 모찌)와 이세 우동(간장 육수에 담궈진 우동)이 있다.
Oharai-machi (おはらい町) is a small traditional town that prospered outside the gates of the entrance of Ise Jingu Shrine — Japan's most sacred shrine. As a traditional approach, it spans almost one kilometer in length and is lined with a variety of shops and restaurants.
In Mie Prefecture, not far from the city of Futami, which belongs to the city of Ise, are the Meoto Iwa rocks, which are also called" The Married Rocks ". These two sacred rocks in the sea near the coast are not far from the Futami-Okitama Shrine, the Ryuugu Shrine and also near the famous Ise Shrine itself. The two rocks are connected with a so-called Shimenawa. This is a ritual rope made of rice straw. This fact gave them the nickname "The Married Rocks" In the belief of the Shinto religion, these two rocks represent the union of the pair of gods Izanagi and Izanami, who, according to legend, are the two central gods "Kami" in the myth of the origin of Japan.