Ise Grand Shrine, Inner Shrine (Naiku) 伊勢神宮 内宮（皇大神宮）
Ise, Mie · Open in Google Maps
The Inner Shrine of Ise, Kōtai Jingū, enshrines Amaterasu, the sun goddess. It is regarded as the most sacred shrine in Japan.
What to look for
- You enter by crossing the wooden Uji Bridge over the Isuzu River, the boundary between the everyday world and the sacred one.
- Visitors traditionally purify their hands at the riverbank, where steps lead down to the clear water.
- In the ritual called Shikinen Sengū, the main sanctuary is rebuilt on an adjacent site every 20 years, keeping ancient building techniques alive.
- Outside the shrine, the Oharai-machi and Okage Yokochō streets are lined with traditional shops and restaurants.
Enshrined kami
- Amaterasu 天照大御神
What people pray for here
At Ise, people traditionally offer gratitude and resolve rather than personal requests.
Etiquette
Photography is not allowed at the main sanctuary: put the camera away at the foot of the stone steps. Tradition says to visit the Outer Shrine (Gekū) first.
New to shrines? Read our short guide to shrine etiquette: purifying your hands, bowing and clapping, offerings, omamori and goshuin.