Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine (伊勢神宮 Ise-jingū) is a shrine to Shinto goddess Amaterasu-o-mikami, located in the town of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan.Officially, the shrine's name is simply Jingū or "The Shrine". The shrine is divided into two parts. The Geku (外宮) or Outer Shrine is dedicated to the goddess Toyouke-o-mikami, while the Naiku (内宮) or Inner Shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu. The two are located some 6 kilometers apart but connected by a sacred forest.
According to the official chronology, the shrines were originally constructed in the year 4 BC, but most historians date them from several hundred years later. , with 690 AD widely considered the date when the shrines were first built in their current form. They are mentioned in the annals of the Kojiki and Nihonshoki, dating from 712. The shrines are famously burned and rebuilt to exacting specifications every 20 years at exorbitant expense. The present buildings, dating from 1993, are the 61st iteration to date and are scheduled for rebuilding in 2013.
Reputedly the home of the Japanese Emperor's Sacred Mirror, the shrine is arguably the holiest and most important Shinto site. 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 three tall wooden fences.