An In-depth Guide to Japan’s Most Famous Shrine, Ise Jingu

Since the Edo Period, it has been said that one should visit Ise JIngu at least once in a lifetime. Ise Jingu is a shrine dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, the overall ujigami for all Japanese people (an ujigami is a deity that people living in the same area all worship). The official name of the shrine, which has a history spanning 2000 years, is Jingu. There are two big shrines, Kotaijingu (Naiku) and Toyouke Daijingu (Geku), at the center of the Jingu surrounded by an additional 14 associated shrines, 43 auxiliary shrines, 24 subordinate shrines, and 42 other shrines. It's a special shrine that's positioned above all the other numerous shrines around Japan.

The center of Ise Jingu can roughly be divided into Kotaijingu (Naiku), dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, and Toyouke Daijingu (Geku), dedicated to Toyouke-no-Omikami, the god of daily necessities. The traditional procedure is to visit from Geku to Naiku, stopping at the main shrine to each god first then at the next highest ranking associated shrine. As mentioned earlier, there are many shrines, so it is impossible to visit them all at once.
If you are visiting for the first time, the standard route is Geku Main Sanctuary→associated shrines such as Taka-no-miya→Ujibashi Bridge→Mitarashi→Naiku Main Sanctuary→associated shrines such as Aramatsuri-no-miya. The shrine is surrounded by nature and has a town built in front of Naiku, so there is much to see. Enjoy the shrine while adjusting the time and places to see based on your schedule.

・In both the Naiku and Geku, start at the Main Sanctuary.
・Bow once before passing a torii gate.
・Do not walk in the middle of the path - it is where the gods walk. Stay to the left in Geku and to the right in Naiku.
・Before worshiping, purify your mouth and hands at a Chozuya ablution font or just your hands at a mitarashi ablution site.
・When worshipping, bow twice, clap your hands twice, then bow once more.

First, move into the sacred grounds from Hiyokebashi Bridge, which is the main entrance to Geku. There is a Chozuya ablution font on the other side of the bridge, so purify your hands and mouth and go to the Main Sanctuary to pay your respects. Once you have visited the Main Sanctuary, visit the associated shrines. First, go to Taka-no-miya, which is the largest of the associated shrines and has the highest standing. If you have time, it is recommended to go to Tsuchi-no-miya, Kaze-no-miya, and Geku-Kaguraden. There is also a museum called Sengukan where you can learn about the history of Shintoism and the shrine.