What Is Ise Jingu, and How Do You Visit Geku and Naiku?

Published 2026-10-04 · Sources checked 2026-10-04 · Treasure Hunting Co., Ltd.

This guide is for visitors who want to understand what Ise Jingu is before they go, and who want the practical rules for entering the grounds. It covers the shrine's size, the two main shrines, the opening hours by month, the hand-washing and prayer manners, and the rebuilding that happens every twenty years.

We used the English pages of Ise Jingu's official site and the Visit Iseshima tourism organization. All pages were read on 2026-10-04. We give no prices and no shop names.

What Ise Jingu is

Ise Jingu's own page says that "Jingu" is the official name and that it includes 125 shrines. It says the center is Kotaijingu, called Naiku, which is dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, and Toyo'uke-daijingu, called Geku, which is dedicated to Toyo'uke-no-Omikami. It says the area is roughly the size of the center of Paris, and that more than 1,500 rituals take place every year.

The page says Amaterasu-Omikami was enshrined in Naiku about 2,000 years ago, and that Toyo'uke-no-Omikami was enshrined at Geku about 1,500 years ago. It describes Toyo'uke-no-Omikami as the one who provides sacred food and prays for abundant harvests. These are the shrine's own accounts of its history, and we have not checked them against other sources.

Geku first, then Naiku

The shrine's access page asks visitors to visit Geku first and then Naiku. The about page says the two main buildings are alike in style, except that Geku has a hall called Mikeden that Naiku does not. At both, it says, visitors are not permitted to enter the courtyard of the main palace, and pilgrims usually pray in front of the gate of the third fence.

At Naiku the Visit Iseshima page describes the Uji Bridge at the entrance, over the Isuzu River. The shrine's page says the bridge is over 100 meters long and is rebuilt every twenty years. Visit Iseshima calls the grounds extensive and says they include twelve auxiliary shrines as well as the main shrine.

Opening hours

The shrine's page on praying gives these opening hours by month.

• January, February, March, April and September: 05:00 to 18:00.
• May, June, July and August: 05:00 to 19:00.
• October, November and December: 05:00 to 17:00.

We did not check whether the hours differ for any holiday or event, so look at the shrine's site close to your date.

Manners inside the grounds

The page says visitors purify themselves with water before they pray, and it gives the steps for the hand-washing basin, called temizu. You fill the dipper with your right hand and pour water over your left hand. You switch hands and rinse your right hand, then pour a little into your cupped left hand to rinse your mouth, without touching the dipper to your mouth. Finally you rinse your left hand again and tilt the dipper so the remaining water runs down the handle.

For praying at a shrine, the page says to bow twice deeply, clap your hands twice and bow once more deeply. It asks visitors not to take pictures at the place where they pray. It also says eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in the grounds except in designated areas.

The rebuilding every twenty years

The shrine's page on rituals says that every twenty years a new divine palace with the same dimensions is built at an alternate site beside the main one. It says this involves about 30 rituals and that the sacred apparel, furnishings and treasures are also remade. It says the first rebuilding of Naiku was in 690 and that the most recent, in 2013, was the sixty-second. We did not find a date for the next one on the pages we read, so we do not give one.

Maps and help

The shrine's site offers illustrated maps of Naiku and Geku as PDF files in English and several other languages. It says the maps are also available at the information booth and the guard house. Our guide to reaching Ise-Shima covers the buses.

What we could not verify, and therefore left out

• Crowds, queues and the best time of day to visit.
• Rules on shrine stamps, which the Visit Iseshima page says to ask about at the office beforehand.
• Traffic controls and parking arrangements around the New Year and long holidays.
• The date of the next twenty-year rebuilding.

Related guides

• How do you get to Ise-Shima from Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto?
• What is Ise-Shima? Oharai-machi, Ama divers, pearls and seafood

Sources

All URLs retrieved 2026-10-04.

1. About Ise Jingu (Ise Jingu) — (125 shrines, Naiku, Geku, Uji Bridge)
2. Pray (Ise Jingu) — (opening hours, temizu, manners)
3. Rituals and Ceremonies (Ise Jingu) — (twenty-year rebuilding)
4. Precinct Map (Ise Jingu) — (maps)
5. Access (Ise Jingu) — (Geku first)
6. Ise Jingu (Naiku) (Visit Iseshima) — (auxiliary shrines and stamps)