Ise Grand Shrine

Ise — the spiritual heart of Japan — houses the Ise Grand Shrine, the most sacred Shinto sanctuary in the entire country, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The Inner Shrine (Naiku) and Outer Shrine (Geku), rebuilt identically every 20 years in a Shinto ritual of renewal called Shikinen Sengu, embody the Japanese concept of eternal impermanence. The Okage Yokocho merchant town offers traditional snacks and crafts.

FFGR Japan provides private pilgrimage circuits from Nagoya, Osaka or Kyoto, with pre-dawn access to the shrines before the general public arrives.