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Ise Grand Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-Omikami, located in
the city of Ise in Mie prefecture. Amaterasu-Omikami is a part of the Japanese
myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is the goddess
not only of the sun, but also of the universe.
Officially known simply as Jingu (Shrine), Ise Jingu is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto
shrines centered on two main shrines, Naiku (Inner Shrine) and Geku (Outer
Shrine).
The Inner Shrine is located in the town of Uji-tachi, south of central
Ise City, and is dedicated to the worship of Amaterasu-Omikami. The Outer
Shrine is located in Toyokawa town about six kilometers from Naiku and
dedicated to Toyouke no Omikami, the deity of agriculture and industry.
Besides Naiku and Geku, there are an additional 123 Shinto shrines in Ise
City and in the surrounding areas, 91 of them connected to Naiku and 32
to Geku.
Purported as the home of the Sacred Mirror, the shrine is one of Shinto's
holiest and most important sites. Access to both sites is strictly limited,
with the common public allowed to see little more than the thatched roofs
of the central structures, hidden behind four tall wooden fences. The chief
priest or priestess of Ise Shrine must come from the Japanese imperial
family and is responsible for watching over the Shrine.
The two main shrines of Ise are joined by a pilgrimage road that passes
through the old entertainment district of Furuichi. The region around the
shrines consists of the Ise-Shima National Park and numerous other holy
and historic sites including the "wedded rocks" (Meoto Iwa),
and the Saiku (the site of the Heian period imperial residence).
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