US EditionIse Jingu Begins 63rd Rebuilding Cycle
The 63rd rebuilding cycle involves reconstructing 125 shrine buildings using ancient techniques in a $390 million project continuing a 1,300-year-old tradition honoring sun goddess Amaterasu.
- Ise Jingu, Japan's most revered Shinto shrine, began its 63rd cycle of demolition and reconstruction this year in Mie prefecture.
- This ancient ritual happens every two decades, reflecting a traditional 20-year human lifespan phase and rice shelf-life, with two interruptions historically recorded.
- The nine-year process rebuilds 125 shrine buildings using sacred cypress, accompanied by 33 festivals, and culminates in a 2033 ceremony transferring the presiding deity Amaterasu.
- The $390 million project honors nature's continuity and forest regeneration, with priests consecrating the construction as workers chant, "A building for a thousand years!"
- This ritual underscores Shinto's deep ties to nature and community, drawing about 7 million pilgrims annually despite Japan's shrinking rural populations.
25 Articles
25 Articles
For more than a millennium, spending exorbitant amounts each time
Associated Press News
Japan's most sacred Shinto shrine has been rebuilt every 20 years for more than a millennium
Each generation, Ise Jingu, Japan’s most revered Shinto shrine, is knocked down and rebuilt from scratch, a massive, $390 million demolition and construction job that takes about nine years.
Inside Japan's Most Sacred Shrine: The 20-Year Rebuilding Tradition Explained
The Associated Press recently published an in-depth report spotlighting Japan’s most sacred shrine, a site steeped in tradition and spiritual significance, which has been meticulously rebuilt every 20 years for over a thousand years. This centuries-old practice, rooted in Shinto beliefs, underscores the country’s commitment to cultural preservation and the cyclical renewal of sacred spaces. The Ottumwa Courier highlights key takeaways from the r…
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