“I have no pictures of Ise” is an unusual statement in this era of visual communication.
I made this choice in advance: I’m visiting the most sacred place of entire Japan and I want to perceive what lies here with all my senses. Ise Jingu Shinto shrine is traditionally believed to be the Japanese folk born place and is sacred to Amaterasu-ō-mi-kami(literally “Great goddess shining in the skies” – shorten as Amaterasu and liked to the Sun), reputed the direct ancestor of the Imperial family.
It takes two hours to reach the Ise-shi station From Kyoto.
Once arrived, following the traditional path I’ll visit the Ise Jingu Geku – the external sanctuary – and then the Ise Jingu Naiku – the internal sanctuary. However, these are not the only two sacred places of the Ise Jingu shrine: the whole complex is composed of 125 sites ubicated in the Mie prefecture!
I reach the Geku in less than 10 minutes by foot from the station (the Naiku can be reached by bus in 30 minutes).
Hanged on the first torii of the external sanctuary strips of paper folded according to Shinto tradition and two dry branches of sakaki (cleyera japonica) used to limit the sacred area.
I purify myself and I pray. Starting from the shogu – the internal sanctuary that hosts the kami Toyouke-Ōmikami – than the Taga no Miya where is hosted the chaotic side of the same kami; after that cames the Kaze no Miya for the wind deities who shielded the Country from the first Mongol invasion; at the end – a little bit outside the Geku – the Tsukiyomi no Miya for the mysterious and ancient kami of the Moon (brother of Amaterasu and Susanoo, deity of storms and hurricanes).
Prayers, bows and exits follow a methodical order. You don’t feel pressure from people waiting for their turn when you’re praying in front the altar: you’re spontaneously carried to support people who spend “a little bit more” with closed eyes and clasped hands.
Here there are many ancient trees. They are old creatures who have seen the changes of history and, maybe, this is the reason why they emanate calm and wisdom. I am sure I am not the only one perceiving this sensation: a lot of people around me stop their steps to hug one or two trees. May it be that they emanate a loving recall heard from our Hearts and impossible to ignore?
*CHANGE OF SCENE*
After an hour I’m reaching the Ise Jingu Naiku hill. Here, there is a bridge to cross: it seems to connect the world of men to invisible realities. When you look back from the sacred area, you see a place that doesn’t concern you anymore.
I am wondering about this when the Japanese flag, softly hung on a near rod, is deployed by a gust of wind: it lasts just a moment and it looks like a welcome.
Upon one of the main streets of the city, there is a stone Shinto arc, few meaningful words written on it: “日本のこころ” (Nihon no Kokoro). Translated: the Heart of Japan… or the Heart-Mind-Spirit of Japan (to say better). And HERE I am now.
The Naiku atmosphere is calm, warm and slow. It’s like walking through a liquid flow of Energy, a giant mother’s womb. “Here is preserved the Yata no Kagami, the sacred mirror” I think, but its view is allowed only to Emperor and a few priests. Yata no Kagami is one of the Three Sacred Treasures (Sanshu no Jingi) – the imperial regalia of Japan – and symbolizes wisdom, self-knowledge, honesty.
I saw Shinto shrines more elaborated than this one. But only here you feel the strength of the original Shinto (plenty of derived cults exist) and the power of Nature, able to link different dimensions. The primordial aspect of these buildings lies in the Shinto tradition: the main temple of every shrine is destroyed and rebuilt every 20 years maintaining the original aspect.
In Ise I prayed a lot and deeply.
I leave this place; the streets of the mundane city are crowded with people from every side of the Country and here you find the smell of food in the air, shop signs, fine local crafts, souvenirs, items useful for religious rituals.
Coming back to Kyoto I repeatedly fall asleep, and every time I dream about a fox. This is one of the main kami Inari representations (even if Shinto and Buddhist priests discourage this specific depiction): my visit to the Heart of Japan (Nihon no Kokoro) was rewarded with a sign from who – traditionally – talks with the human beings. Even here I wasn’t left alone: I feel Peace.
© Photo by Irene Lorenzini
