The year 2013 is a significant year in the long history of the Ise Shrine, the imperial shrine where Amaterasu the Sun Goddess, the mythological ancestor of the present day Japanese imperial family, is enshrined. The architecture of the Ise Shrine is ritually rebuilt every twenty years to reflect the Shinto concept of renewal, and to preserve the pristine condition of the shrine. This regular rebuilding has been undertaken to ensure the continuation of the tradition that goes back to the 8th century. The 62nd rebuilding is taking place in 2013, and the final ritual of moving the sacred mirror from the old shrine to the new building in the adjacent plot took place in October this year. This symposium is planned to mark this very special occasion, and to offer a platform for scholars to exchange their latest research. It will provide an opportunity to reassess the historical, political, and artistic heritage.
The symposium will encourage a better understanding of the Japanese religion,history, and art, and will draw attention to this uniquely Japanese religious custom.
This lecture is held in association with: the Centre for the Study of Japanese Religions at SOAS, and sponsored by Daiwa Anglo- Japanese Foundation, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Art and Culture, and Meiji Jingu International Shinto Research Institute.
There is also a photography exhibition that will run until 15 December 2013 at SOAS’s Library Wolfson Gallery and Khalili Foyer. Ise Workshop
You may also be interested in a previous event as part of Japan400: The Ise Shrines: Cyclical Narratives in Architecture