On Shinto and Japanese Shrines

On Saturday, I had one of the coolest experiences of my time in Japan so far.  A friend of mine took me to the Shinto shrine in Ise city.  This shrine is one of the most famous in all of Japan, and it is where the Emperor himself comes for special occasions.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I will have to post pictures that I have stolen from the internet.  I hope the internet doesn't mind too much!!


First, a little background as explained to me by my friend and local expert, Chinatsu.  The basic idea of Shinto, as I understand it is that every single thing has a spirit within it.  It is for that reason that people who believe in Shinto are very caring towards the world in general, from bugs and weeds to rocks and trees.  Chinatsu told me that around her house when she was little, there were lots of frogs and spiders.  Her mom told her to be kind to the spiders and the frogs, because the frogs were her grandma, and the spiders were her grandpa.  (It might have been the other way around, she said she forgot which was which, apparently the lesson didn't stick that hard!)  I thought that was pretty cool.  


When I say Ise Shrine, what I really mean is a sort of gathering of shrines centered on one main shrine called Naiku, which is dedicated to a Shinto goddess.  The whole gathering of shrines is set deep in the woods, and it is some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever scene.  The the entrance to the Shrine gathering is a bridge over a river, and the moment you cross the bridge, you step into a beautiful forrest.  The walk to Naiku is maybe fifteen minutes at a pretty slow pace, and you really wouldn't want to walk any faster.  I found myself stopping every few minutes to look around and see the massive trees or a smaller shrine off on a smaller path.  


Every shrine in Japan, as far as Chinatsu knew, is built in the traditional style using historical tools and methods.  Next to each shrine there is an open area of the same size as the Shrine itself.  This is there because every twenty years, every shrine is rebuilt out of new materials.  They do this in order to pass down the knowledge and craftsmanship from one generation of shrine builder to the next.  


Apparently, when Sydney comes to visit in January, I shouldn't bring her into the Shrine proper, because the goddess to whom the shrine is dedicated is apparently a very jealous woman.  She will make life very difficult for couples who visit the shrine together.  Also, within the shrine gathering area, there are a whole bunch of chickens!  My expert couldn't explain the origins of the chickens, by she did tell me that I shouldn't try and chase them or bother them at all.  I asked what would happen if I did, and she said that the main priest would be very unhappy with me.  I decided that I did not want to be responsible for the next big typhoon or earthquake that hit Mie Prefecture, so I left the chickens alone!  


All around the shrine area, there are wonderful little shops and things.  After we saw the shrine, we walked around the shop district and did the tourist thing for a while.  It was great!  The highlight of the shop district was a little place that sold locally brewed beers, and I was lucky enough to find a micro-brewed porter!  It was fantastic!  Also, we ate some clams, some Ise udon, and some green tea ice cream.  All in all, a fantastic day.