Ise Inner Shrine Secret: Renewed Every Twenty Years
In 686 – 697 CE, under Empress Jito, a ritual started that continues to this day. Every twenty years, the Ise Inner Shrine, including the main Amaterasu shrine, 15 other shrines, the Uji Bridge, and the torii gate are torn down. It is then rebuilt in almost the exact same way, but on a different site within the Shrine. This cycle represents the Shinto idea of death and renewal and how nothing is permanent.
It keeps old architectural traditions and skills alive. But it is also practical. The Ise Inner Shrine is a wood and thatch building, prone to weathering and water damage. Renewing the building helps keep the design the same while the wood is always fresh and new. The rebuilding uses about 10,000 cypress trees from the Shrine’s dedicated forest. In 2013, with full ceremony, the old shrine was taken down and replaced, continuing this cycle.
