last weekend i took a day trip up north. after meeting up with a friend from iga, we went to see a famous shrine called ise jingu (伊勢神宮). this shrine is probably the biggest reason why people visit my prefecture. unfortunately for everyone who visits hoping to go inside and take a look, you cant. this shinto shrine is so elite that the general public is not allowed inside the main shrine. but even with that sad rule in place, ise jingu is still totally worth it. not only were the other shrines around it beautiful, but the history surrounding this place blew my mind as well.
from what sounds like its straight out of a nintendo role playing video game, ise jingu is home to one of the three sacred imperial regalia of japan, the sanshu no jingi (三種の神器). these three sacred treasures consist of a sword of valor, a mirror of wisdom, and a jewel of benevolence. ise jingu is said to contain the sacred mirror, the yata no kagami (八咫鏡). but of course no one can actually verify the treasure is actually here because no one is allowed inside - it is that freaking sacred. at this point my video game mind takes over and i assume that the townsfolk have been waiting hundreds of years for the one true hero to collect all three sacred regalia as part of a quest to defeat the terrible evil plaguing the area. but i suppose i should get back on-topic somehow..
the coolest yet most unbelievable thing about the ise shrines is the fact that they, along with the entire bridge that leads to the inner shrine (内宮), get rebuilt every 20 years. on purpose. seriously. to symbolize the death and rebirth that occurs in everything around us, every 20 years all of the structures get torn down and rebuilt to the same exact specifications as the last. its actually due to get rebuilt again soon; the 62nd rebirth is scheduled for 2013 with an estimated cost of about $500,000,000 USD. apparently, shinto pockets run deep.
after checking out the shrines we helped ourselves to some of the tasty treats that the town of ise is known for. first we tried ise udon (伊勢うどん), a thick-noodle soup in a soy-based broth, which was pretty much the best thing in the world because it was hot and the weather outside was bitterly cold. next we went to a tea cafe and tried some akafuku (赤福), a red-bean mochi, with some hot green tea (お茶). both ise specialties were delicious and made me want to come back and try them again real soon.

and while im at it, hopefully i can meet the hero of legends trying to collect all three sacred treasures.