Members of the Shinto priesthood try to push down a sacred timber from a wheeled platform at the end of Mihishirogi Hoeishiki, a ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild the shrine's main structures for Shinto deities, at the Ise Jingu shrine complex, in Ise, central Japan, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
Photos show historic Japanese shrine that is torn down and rebuilt every 20 years
ISE, Japan (AP) — Ise Jingu is Japan’s most revered Shinto shrine, which every 20 years is completely knocked down and rebuilt in an expensive, time-consuming process that has endured for the last 1,300 years.
The last operation to replace the 125 shrine buildings was completed in 2013, and this year marks the beginning of the latest process, which is being documented by journalists for The Associated Press.
More than 30 ceremonies and festivals are held, and workers will collect and process more than 10,000 cypress trees for the new shrine in a process called Shikinen Sengu. During a ceremony set for 2033, the presiding deity will be transferred to the new shrine.
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This photo gallery was curated by AP photo editors.
Priests and officials in the Shinto priesthood march as they start Yamaguchisai, a kickoff ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual, which concludes in 2033, at Kotaijingu, also known as Naiku, or the inner sanctuary, of the Ise Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Shinto priests and a girl called “monoimi” march into the main palace of Toyoukedaijingu, also known as Geku, or the outer sanctuary, of the Ise Jingu shrine complex as they begin Yamaguchisai, a kickoff ceremony of Shikinen Sengu, which concludes in 2033, in Ise, central Japan, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Priests and officials in the Shinto priesthood participate in Yamaguchisai, a kickoff ceremony of Shikinen Sengu, which concludes in 2033, at the Ise Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Shinto priests participate in Konomotosai, a night ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual, which concludes in 2033, at the Ise Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Friday, May 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People visit a shopping street near the Ise Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Visitors wash their hands to purify themselves as they visit the Ise Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Visitors walk upstairs to visit the main palace at Kotaijingu, also known as Naiku, or the inner sanctuary, of the Jingu shrine complex in Ise, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Cypress trees stand tall at the Akasawa national forest in Agematsu, central Japan, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Woodcutters chop down a cypress tree during Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, at the Akasawa national forest in Agematsu, central Japan, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)A woodcutter chops a sacred cypress tree as they clean it up after felling it in a forest early in the morning during Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, in Agematsu, central Japan, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Fumiko Fujita receives pieces of a sacred timber felled in a forest early morning during Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, in Agematsu, central Japan, Tuesday, June 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)An employee at Miyachu, which crafts miniature replicas of the Ise Jingu shrine, shows materials used for the thatched roof of Shinto shrine alters at the factory in Tamaki, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)A craftsman uses a chisel while making a Shinto shrine alter at Miyachu factory, which also crafts miniature replicas of the Ise Jingu shrine, in Tamaki, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Handmade Shinto shrine alters are seen at Miyachu factory, which crafts miniature replicas of the Ise Jingu shrine, in Tamaki, central Japan, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People make a rallying cry as they pull sacred timbers felled in the previous day’s Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, during a procession in local celebrations in Agematsu, central Japan, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People pull a sacred timber of a cypress tree felled in the previous day’s Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, during a procession in local celebrations in Agematsu, central Japan, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People dance in celebration of Mihishirogi Hoeishiki, a ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine complex for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People pull a sacred timber felled in the previous day’s Misomahajimesai, an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine for Shinto deities, during a procession in local celebrations in Agematsu, central Japan, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Officials in the Shinto priesthood watch a Japanese traditional dance in celebration of Mihishirogi Hoeishiki, a ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild main structures of the Ise Jingu shrine complex for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People carry a hinoki timber, Japanese cypress, into the Kotaijingu, also known as Naiku, or the inner sanctuary of the Ise Jingu shrine complex, during a festivity called Mihishirogi Hoeishiki in Ise, central Japan, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People carry a hinoki timber, Japanese cypress, into the Ise Jingu shrine complex during a festivity called Mihishirogi Hoeishiki in Ise, central Japan, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)Shinto priests and officials in the priesthood walk on the Uji bridge, as people pull a sacred timber in the Isuzu river towards Kotaijingu, also known as Naiku, or the inner sanctuary of the Ise Jingu shrine complex, during the Mihishirogi Hoeishiki ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild its main structures for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People pull a sacred timber towards Toyoukedaijingu, also known as Geku, or the outer sanctuary of the Ise Jingu shrine complex, during Mihishirogi Hoeishiki, a ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild its main structures for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People lead a procession of pulling a sacred timber towards Toyoukedaijingu, also known as Geku, or the outer sanctuary of the Ise Jingu shrine complex, during the Mihishirogi Hoeishiki ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild its main structures for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)People pull a sacred timber into the Ise Jingu shrine complex, as others follow during Mihishirogi Hoeishiki, a ceremony of the Shikinen Sengu ritual to rebuild its main structures for Shinto deities, in Ise, central Japan, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
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