Thousands Pull Sacred Logs Ahead of Ise Grand Shrine Renewal

May 10, 2026 | News On Japan

MIE, May 10, 2026 (News On Japan) - The "Okihiki" ceremony, in which citizens transport timber to the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine ahead of its next Shikinen Sengu reconstruction seven years from now, began in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, on May 9th.

Held once every 20 years, the Shikinen Sengu is a major ritual in which all shrine buildings at Ise Grand Shrine are rebuilt and the sacred deity is transferred to a new sanctuary. The "Okihiki" ceremony involves local residents carrying the sacred construction timber, known as "goyozai," used in the rebuilding process. The "Rikubiki" land procession to the Outer Shrine began on May 9th.

Around 3,000 participants took part in the event, carrying 10 cypress logs measuring between 4.4 meters and 7 meters in length. The logs were purified in the Miyagawa River before participants performed the dramatic "Donden Gaeshi," a highlight of the Rikubiki ceremony in which excess water is shaken off the timber.

Afterward, participants pulled the cypress logs, loaded onto ceremonial carts, for about two kilometers toward the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine while shouting spirited chants.

From May 10th, additional Okihiki processions involving participants recruited from across Japan will take place.

Source: TBS

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