For people in Japan, the Ise Shrine has been a popular destination as a place of worship for hundreds of years and, recently, more for travel. Before the times of the bullet train and automobiles, people all over from Japan walked to the shrine to pay reverence to the gods enshrined there and pray for their good fortune. The trip, however, required one to be in good health and have abundant funds, so not everyone could make their way to the shrine. Back in the Edo period over 100 hundred years ago, people even elected representatives from their communities and funded their trip to visit the shrine on their behalf. Yes, it was many people's dream to visit there at least once in their lifetime. And, for years, I had been intrigued to pay a visit. Recently, I finally had the chance to do so for the first time. The grand shrine of Ise--known as the Ise Jingu in Japanese--comprises a total of 125 shrines located in the area with two main shrines, one inner and the other outer. At both locations, long, winding gravel paths run through dense woods, leading up to the wooden structures of the main shrines at the end of the paths. There are other man-made structures, including bridges, purification fountains and halls for sacred music and dance, and they all exist completely in harmony with the surrounding nature. It is so quiet, peaceful and pristine. Here are some photos of the shrine has held a special position in the hearts of many Japanese people.
