Which major Shinto shrine is dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu?
Answer
Ise Grand Shrine
Answer
Ise Grand Shrine
The major Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu is Ise Grand Shrine.
Known in Japanese as Ise Jingū, the shrine complex stands in Ise, Mie Prefecture, and is centered on two principal sanctuaries. The Inner Shrine, Naikū—officially Kōtai Jingū—is dedicated to Amaterasu Ōmikami, while the Outer Shrine, Gekū, is dedicated to Toyouke-hime, a deity associated with food, agriculture, and sustenance.
Ise is closely connected with Japan’s imperial tradition. According to legend, Princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto searched for a permanent home for Amaterasu before establishing the Inner Shrine at Ise. The shrine is also traditionally associated with Yata no Kagami, the sacred mirror counted among Japan’s Imperial Regalia.
The buildings use cypress wood and traditional shinmei-zukuri architecture. They are ceremonially rebuilt roughly every 20 years in the Shikinen Sengū tradition, a practice documented from 690 CE. Meiji Shrine honors Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken, Fushimi Inari is famous for Inari worship, and Izumo Taisha is associated especially with Ōkuninushi.
Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026