Ise Shrine Holds Sacred Tree-Felling Ceremony

Sep 19, 2025 | News On Japan

MIE, Sep 19, 2025 (News On Japan) - The Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture held the Ofunashiro Festival on September 17th, a ritual in preparation for the 2033 Shikinen Sengu, the periodic rebuilding of its sanctuary. The ceremony involves felling sacred timber used to make the vessel known as the Ofunashiro, which holds the sacred container called the Mihishiro for enshrining the deity.

The Ofunashiro, shaped like a boat, is regarded as a holy object within the Shinto tradition. On the morning of the ritual, priests gathered at a ceremonial site deep in the Naiku’s forest. They offered prayers for safety during the felling and for the successful completion of a worthy Ofunashiro. Shrine carpenters, known as Kodakumi, then carried out the tree-felling ritual, formally beginning the preparation of materials for the renewal ceremony.

Source: Kyodo

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