Issues, Etc. An Associated Press Story on Japan’s Most Revered Shinto Shrine – Dr. Adam Francisco, 9/26/25 (2691)
Sep 26, 2025
Dr. Adam Francisco, a noted historian and author, dives into the fascinating world of Shinto during his engaging discussion. He explains why the sacred Ise Jingu shrine is rebuilt every 20 years and its significance to Japanese identity. Francisco highlights Shinto's animistic beliefs, emphasizing its connection with nature and daily life. He also tackles the complexities of modern rituals in a tech-savvy culture, and discusses the challenges of reconciling Shinto with Christianity, revealing fundamental differences in belief systems.
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Renewal As Religious Continuity
- Ise Jingu is rebuilt every 20 years as a 1,300-year tradition to keep the shrine perpetually renewed for each generation.
- Rebuilding both honors the sun goddess Amaterasu and preserves ritual purity and continuity in Japanese culture.
Shrine As National Symbol
- Ise Jingu is tied to Amaterasu, the sun goddess, who is portrayed as the imperial family's ancestor.
- That lineage made the shrine a national symbol, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Animism And Musubi
- Shinto functions as an animist religion filling nature and objects with kami spirits rather than a single high God.
- Rituals and offerings (musubi) maintain harmony between the unseen spiritual order and the material world.
