Japan’s Sacred Shrine Reborn Every 20 Years: A 1,300-Year Tradition of Renewal

For over 1,300 years, Ise Jingu, Japan’s holiest Shinto shrine nestled in the forests of Mie prefecture, has been meticulously demolished and rebuilt every 20 years in a profound cycle of renewal. On September 23, 2025, The Associated Press reported on the 63rd iteration of this ancient tradition, which began in 690 CE during Empress Jito’s reign. This nine-year, $390 million process involves felling sacred cypress trees, reconstructing 125 shrine buildings, and crafting over 1,500 ritual objects, culminating in a 2033 ceremony to transfer the sun goddess Amaterasu to her new sanctuary.

The rebuilding, documented by historians like Noboru Okada, professor emeritus at Kogakkan University, is a testament to Japan’s Shinto faith, rooted in animism and reverence for kami (spirits). The cycle, interrupted only twice during 15th- and 16th-century civil wars and post-World War II, reflects a philosophy of impermanence and renewal. “It’s not a shame to tear down what we worked so hard to build,” said Yosuke Kawanishi, a Shinto priest whose family crafts shrine replicas. “After 20 years, we want the deity to move into a beautiful, fresh shrine.”

The process begins with ceremonial tree-felling in Nagano’s forests, where priests seek permission from mountain deities before woodsmen, dressed in white, cut 300-year-old cypresses. These trees, cultivated across generations, are honored in rituals that acknowledge their life, with woodcutters inserting a felled tree’s tip into another’s stump to symbolize forest regeneration. “Trees are living beings,” said Soju Ikeda, a lumber expert, recalling the “shrieking” sound of a cypress as it fell, evoking a deep sense of reverence.

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The construction involves Japan’s finest artisans, from carpenters to weavers, who recreate identical structures using techniques passed down for centuries. Miscanthus reed for roofs is grown for eight years to reach over two meters, and cypress groves are maintained for future cycles, often outliving their caretakers. The process includes 33 festivals, drawing seven million pilgrims annually, though sacred rites, like the purification of a central pillar, remain shrouded in secrecy.

The shrine’s cyclical rebuilding aligns with natural and human rhythms, possibly reflecting the 20-year shelf-life of stored rice or phases of human life, as suggested by photographer Miori Inata. Despite Japan’s declining rural population and shrinking number of Shinto shrines, Ise remains a spiritual cornerstone, offering visitors like Yoriko Maeda, a local sake shop owner, a transformative experience of peace and connection to nature.

This enduring tradition, blending meticulous craftsmanship with spiritual devotion, underscores Ise Jingu’s role as a living symbol of Japan’s cultural heritage, ensuring the sun goddess’s sanctuary remains vibrant for generations to come.

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