Kotai jingu

皇大神宮 (Kotai jingu)
File:Naiku 04.jpg Naikū, Ise Shrine Map of Naikū
Religion
Affiliation	Shinto
Deity	Amaterasu
Location
Location	Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan
Kotai jingu is located in Japan Kotai jingu Shown within Japan
Geographic coordinates	34°27′18″N 136°43′33″E Fatal error: The format of the coordinate could not be determined. Parsing failed.
Architecture
Date established	4 BCE
File:Icon of Shinto.svg Glossary of Shinto

Kotai Jingu (皇大神宮) is a sub Shrine of Ise Jingu. It is officially called Kotai Jingu and colloquially called Naikū (内宮, lit, inner shrine) and it is dedicated to Amaterasu. Yata no Kagami is kept inside Kotai Jingu.

When going on a pilgrimage to Ise Jingu people will typically go to the nearby Toyouke Daijingu first and this shrine second.

The shrine is considered the holiest site of Shinto

The grounds of Naikū are extensive and contain a number of structures, including the following:

The Uji Bridge

File:Ise Shrine Uji-bashi1.jpg

The Uji Bridge, 2012

This 100 meter wooden bridge, built in a traditional Japanese style, stretches across the Isuzu River at the entrance of Naikū. Like the shrine buildings of Naikū, it is rebuilt every 20 years as a part of the Shikinen Sengū ceremony. The bridge is typically built by carpenters with less experience to gain more skills before moving on to take on the task of working on the main shrine. On crossing the bridge, the path turns to the right along the banks of the Isuzu river and passes through large landscaped gardens.

Temizusha

After crossing a short, wide bridge, pilgrims to the shrine encounter the Temizusha, a small, roofed structure containing a pool of water for use in ritual purification. Visitors are encouraged to wash their hands and rinse their mouths at Temizusha as a symbolic act to clean the mind and body of impurity. The first of two large torii gates stands just beyond the Temizusha.

Saikan and Anzaisho

After passing the first large torii gate, the Purification Hall (Saikan), and the hall for visitors from the imperial household (Anzaisho) is located to the left. The Saikan is used by shrine priests to purify themselves before performing ceremonies at the shrine. They are required to spend one or two nights to free their minds of worldly issues, partaking in baths and eating meals cooked with the sacred fire.

Kaguraden

File:IseShrine.jpg

Kagura-den

This hall for special prayer, located just after the second large torii gate, is open to the public for the offering of individual prayers to the kami, the giving of donations and the purchase of special talisman of protection, amulets and hanging scrolls of Amaterasu Omikami.

File:Geku uiho20051116.JPG

Charge field prayer, Toyouke Daijingū (Gekū), 2005.

Imibiyaden

File:Kazahinomi-sai01.jpg

Imibiyaden, 2007

This hall contains the sacred fire used to cook all of the food offerings to the kami of Ise Shrine. Rice and other offerings cooked on the sacred fire are stored in a box made of Japanese cypress, then purified at the Haraedo immediately in front of the Imibiyaden before being offered to the kami.

Honden

The pilgrimage path then approaches the fence of the inner sanctum (昇殿, shōden) of Naikū by a set of large stone steps. Within another set of fencing inside the gate is the main shrine (正宮, seigū) itself. Visitors are supposed to keep to the sides of the path as the middle is set aside for the goddess Amaterasu. Etiquette is the same as for most Shinto shrines. Though the actual shrine is hidden behind a large fence, pilgrims can approach the gate to offer their prayers. Photographs in this area are prohibited and this restriction is strictly policed.

Kotai Jingū is said to hold the Sacred Mirror, one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan said to have been given to the first Emperor by the gods. From a path that follows the line of the outer wall, the distinctive roof of the shrine building can be seen through the trees. In front of the walled shrine compound can be seen an open area which was the location of the rebuilding of the shrine in 2013.

Subshrines

Betsugū of Kōtai Jingū

	name	kanji	enshrined	kanji	location
1	Aramatsuri no miya	荒祭宮	Amaterasu Ōmikami no Aramitama	天照大御神荒御魂	in Naikū
2	Tsukiyomi no miya	月讀宮	Tsukiyomi no mikoto	月讀尊	Nakamura, Ise city
3	Tsukiyomi no Aramitama no miya	月讀荒御魂宮	Tsukiyomi no mikoto no Aramitama	月讀尊荒御魂	in Tsukiyomi no miya
4	Izanagi no miya	伊佐奈岐宮	Izanagi no mikoto	伊佐奈岐尊	in Tsukiyomi no miya
5	Izanami no miya	伊佐奈弥宮	Izanami no mikoto	伊佐奈弥尊	in Tsukiyomi no miya
6	Takihara no miya	瀧原宮	Amaterasu Ōmikami no Mitama	天照大御神御魂	Takihara, Taiki town, Watarai district
7	Takihara no narabi no miya	瀧原竝宮	Amaterasu Ōmikami no Mitama	天照大御神御魂	in Takihara no miya
8	Izawa no miya	伊雑宮	Amaterasu Ōmikami no Mitama	天照大御神御魂	Isobe-chō-Kaminogō, Shima city
9	Yamatohime no miya	倭姫宮	Yamatohime no mikoto	倭姫命	Kusube, Ise city
10	Kazahinomi no miya	風日祈宮	Shinatsuhiko no mikoto Shinatobe no mikoto	級長津彦命 級長戸辺命	in Naikū

Sessha of Kōtai Jingū

	name	kanji	enshrined	kanji	location
1	Asakuma jinja	朝熊神社	Ōtoshi no kami Kokemushi no kami Asakuma no mizu no kami	大歳神 苔虫神 朝熊水神	Asama, Ise city
2	Asakuma mimae jinja	朝熊御前神社	Asakuma no mimae no kami	朝熊御前神	in Asakuma jinja
3	Sonai (Sonō) jinja	園相神社	Sonahihiko no mikoto Mimae no kami	曾奈比比古命 御前神	Tsumura, Ise city
4	Kamo jinja	鴨神社	Ishikorowake no mikoto Mimae no kami	石己呂和居命 御前神	Yamagammi, Tamaki, Watarai district
5	Tanoe jinja	田乃家神社	Ōkami no Misamukawa no kami	大神御滄川神	Yano, Tamaki, Watarai district
6	Tanoe mimae jinja	田乃家御前神社	Mimae no kami	御前神	same as Tanoe jinja
7	Kano jinja	蚊野神社	Ōkami no mikage no- kawa no kami	大神御蔭川神	Kano, Tamaki, Watarai district
8	Kano mimae jinja	蚊野御前神社	Mimae no kami	御前神	same as Kano jinja
9	Yuta jinja	湯田神社	Ōtoshi no mioya no mikoto Mimae no kami	大歳御祖命 御前神	Obata-chō-Yuta, Ise city
10	Ōtsuchi mioya jinja	大土御祖神社	Ōkunitama no mikoto Mizusasarahiko no mikoto Mizusasarahime no mikoto	大国玉命 水佐佐良比古命 水佐佐良比賣命	Kusube, Ise city
11	Kunitsu mioya jinja	国津御祖神社	Ujihime no mikoto Tamurahime no mikoto	宇治比賣命 田村比賣命	in Ōtoshi mioya jinja
12	Kuchira jinja	朽羅神社	Chiyorihime no mikoto Chiyorihiko no mikoto	千依比賣命 千依比古命	Hara, Tamaki, Watarai district
13	Ujiyōda jinja	宇治山田神社	Yamatahime no mikoto	山田姫命	Nakamura, Ise city
14	Tsunaga jinja	津長神社	Sunagahime no mikoto	栖長比賣命	Uji-Imazaike, Ise city (in front of Kōtai Jingū)
15	Katada jinja	堅田神社	Samitsuhime no mikoto	佐見都比女命	Futami-chō-Chaya, Ise city
16	Ōmizu jinja	大水神社	Ōyamazumi no mioya no mikoto	大山祇御祖命	Uji-imazaike, Ise city (in front of Kōtai Jingū)
17	E jinja	江神社	Nagakuchime no mikoto Ōtoshi no mioya no mikoto Ukano mitama no mikoto	長口女命 大歳御祖命 宇加乃御玉命	Futami-chō-E, Ise city
18	Kōzaki jinja	神前神社	Arasakihime no mikoto	荒崎比賣命	Futami-chō-Matsushita, Ise city
19	Awamiko jinja	粟皇子神社	Susanō no mikoto no Mitama no- michinushi no mikoto	須佐乃乎命御玉道主命	Futami-chō-Matsushita, Ise city
20	Kawara jinja	川原神社	Tsukiyomi no mikoto no Mitama	月讀尊御魂	Sōchi, Ise city
21	Kugutsuhime jinja	久具都比賣神社	kugutsuhime no mikoto kugutsuhiko no mikoto MImae no kami	久具都比賣命 久具都比古命 御前神	Kamikugu, Watarai town, Watarai district
22	Narahara jinja	奈良波良神社	Naraharahime no mikoto	那良原比女命	Miyako, Tamaki town, Watarai district
23	Sugihara jinja	棒原神社	Ama no subarume no mikoto- no Mitama Mimae no kami	天須婆留女命御魂 御前神	Kami-Tanui, Tamaki town, Watarai district
24	Mifune jinja	御船神社	Ōkami no mikage no- kawa no mikoto	大神御蔭川神	Toba, Taki town, Taki district
25	Sakatekunari jinja	坂手国生神社	Takaminakami no mikoto (Takaminakami no kami)	高水上命 (高水上神)	Kami-Tanui, Tamaki town, Watarai district
26	Satakunari jinja	狭田國生神社	Hayakawahiko no mikoto Hayakawahime no mikoto Yamazue no Mitama	速川比古命 速川比女命 山末御魂	Sata, Tamaki town, Watarai district
27	Takihara jinja	多岐原神社	Manako no Kami	真奈胡の神	Misegawa, Taiki town, Watarai district

Massha of Kōtai Jingū

	name	kanji	enshrined	kanji	location
1	Kamoshimo jinja	鴨下神社	Ishikorowake no mikoto Kamohiko no mikoto Kamohime no mikoto	石己呂和居命 鴨比古命 鴨比賣命	Katsuta, Tamaki, Watarai district
2	Tsubura jinja	津布良神社	Tsuburahiko no mikoto Tsuburahime no mikoto	津布良比古命 津布良比賣命	Tsubura, Tamaki, Watarai district
3	Ashihara jinja	葦原神社	Sasatsuhiko no mikoto Ukano Mitama no mioya no mikoto Ikarihime no mikoto	佐佐津比古命 宇加乃御魂御祖命 伊加利比賣命	in Tsukiyomi no miya (Naikū, 月讀宮)
4	Ogoso jinja	小社神社	Takaminakami mikoto)	高水上命	Ogoso-Sone, Tamaki, Watarai district
5	Komori jinja	許母利神社	Awashima no kami no mitama	粟嶋神御魂	same as Kōzaki jinja
6	Niikawa jinja	新川神社	Niikawahime no mikoto	新川比賣命	same as Tsunaga jinja
7	Iwai jinja	石井神社	Takaminakami no mikoto	高水上命	same as Tsunaga jinja
8	Uji no nuki jinja	宇治乃奴鬼	Takaminakami no mikoto	高水上命	Ōtoshi mioya jinja
9	Kanumi jinja	加努弥神社	Inayorihime no mikoto	稲依比女命	Kanome (Kanomi), Ise city without building
10	Kawaai jinja	川相神社	Hosokawa no mizu no kami	細川水神	same as Ōmizu jinja
11	Kumabuchi jinja	熊淵神社	Takiōtoji no kami	多支大刀自神	same as Ōmizu jinja
12	Arasaki jinja	荒前神社	Arasakihime no mikoto	荒前比賣命	same as Kōzaki jinja
13	Najime jinja	那自売神社	Ōminakami no mioya no mikoto Mimonosusohime no mikoto	大水上御祖命 御裳乃須蘇比賣命	same as Ujiyōda jinja
14	Ashidate jinja	葦立弖神社	Tamayarahime no mikoto	玉移良比女命	same as Kunitsu mioya jinja
15	Mumino jinja	牟弥乃神社	Samukawahiko no mikoto Samukawahime no mikoto	寒川比古命 寒川比女命	same as Mifune jinja
16	Koyasu jinja	子安神社	Konohanasakuyahime no mikoto	木華開耶姫命	in Naikū (side of Ōyamatsumi jinja)

Shokansha of Kōtai Jingū

	name	kanji	enshrined	kanji	location
1	Takimatsuri no kami	滝祭神	Takimatsuri no Ōkami	瀧祭大神	in Naikū without building
2	Okitama no Kami	興玉神	Okitama no Kami	興玉神	in Naikū Shogū without building
3	Miyabi no kami	宮比神	Miyabi no kami	宮比神	in Naikū Shogū without building
4	Yanohahiki no kami	屋乃波比伎神	Yanohahiki no kami	屋乃波比伎神	in Naikū Shogū without building
5	Misakadono	御酒殿	Misakadono no kami	御酒殿神	in Naikū
6	Mishine no mikura	御稲御倉	Mishine no mikura no kami	御稲御倉神	in Naikū
7	Yuki no mikura	由貴御倉	Yuki no mikura no kami	由貴御倉神	in Naikū
8	Miya no meguri no kami	四至神	Miya no meguri no kami	四至神	in Naikū without building
9	Kan-Hatori hatadono jinja	神服織機殿神社	Kan-hatori hatadono no- mamori no kami	神服織機殿神社鎮守神	Ōgaito, Matsusaka city
10	Massha of Kan-Hatori hatadono jinja; 8 shrines	神服織機殿神社末社8所	Kan-hatori hatadono no- mamori no mimae no kami	神服織機殿神社鎮守御前神	in Kan-Hatori hatadono jinja
11	Kan-Omi hatadono jinja	神麻績機殿神社	Kan-Omi hatadono no- mamori no kami	神麻績機殿神社鎮守神	Iguchinaka, Matsusaka city
12	Massha of Kan-Omi hatadono jinja; 8 shrines	神麻績機殿神社末社8所	Kan-Omi hatadono no mamori no- mimae no kami	神麻績機殿神社鎮守御前神	in Kan-Omi hatadono jinja
13	Mishiodono jinja	御塩殿神社	Mishiodono no mamori no kami	御塩殿神社鎮守神	Futami-chō-Shō, Ise city
14	Aedohashihime jinja	饗土橋姫神社	Ujibashi no mamori no kami	宇治橋鎮守神	Uji-Imazaike, Ise city (in front of Kōtai Jingū)
15	Ōyamatsumi jinja	大山祇神社	Ōyamazumi no kami	大山祇神	in Naikū
16	Koyasu jinja	子安神社	Konohanasakuyahime no mikoto	木華開耶姫命	in Naikū (side of Ōyamatsumi jinja)

See Also

• Toyouke Daijingu

Bibliography

• Aston, William George (1896). Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. London: The Japan Society, Trübner. Search this book on
• Bock, Felicia G. (1974). "The Rites of Renewal at Ise". Monumenta Nipponica. 29 (1): 55–68. doi:10.2307/2383463. JSTOR 2383463.
• Bocking, Brian (2013). The Oracles of the Three Shrines: Windows on Japanese Religion. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-136-84552-9. Search this book on
• Breen, John; Teeuwen, Mark (2000). Shinto in History: Ways of the Kami. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2363-4. Search this book on
• Fletcher, Banister; Cruickshank, Dan (1996). Sir Banister Fletcher's a History of Architecture. Architectural Press. ISBN 978-0-7506-2267-7. Search this book on
• Hvass, Svend M. (1998). Ise – Japan's Ise Shrines – Ancient yet New. Copenhagen. Aristo Publishing. ISBN 87-985103-3-9 Search this book on .
• Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1962). Studies in Shinto and Shrines. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 399449
• Kenzo Tange; Noboru Kawazoe (1965). Ise: Prototype of Japanese Architecture. MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-20006-6. Search this book on

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