Ise Inner Shrine (4th Century BCE)
Also known as the Ise Jingu, the Ise Inner Shrine is the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan. The Shrine is dedicated to many Shinto spirits. The main shrine is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Its design is based on rural Japanese granaries from the Yayoi period (300 BCE to 300 CE). The building lies on a raised floor platform, with pillars sunk deep into the ground to support the building with a stable foundation.
The “heart pillar,” shin no mihashira lies at the structure’s center. The thatched gable roof features the wood chigi poles and katsuogi that create distinctive, making the roof beams look like they are flying into the sky. The shrine is a pilgrimage destination for the Shinto religion, and twice a year it hosts the Kagura Festival to celebrate traditional Japanese dance, theater, and other arts.
