Discover the culture in Ise City and make your own Zai (Ceremonial Baton) used for the Okihiki Ceremony in Ise Jingu’s famous Shikinen Sengu (Periodic Shrine Rebuilding)

Extremely limited availability

Ise City is well known for the Ise Jingu – a Shinto Shrine with around 2000 years of history. Every 20 years, identical new shrine structures are built on adjacent plots of land, and the sacred deity is ceremonially transferred to the new home. This is called Shikinen Sengu (periodic rebuilding). This process is accompanied by the Okihiki ceremony in which residents of Ise carry sacred timber towards the reconstruction.

Ahead of the next rebuild in 2033, we are delighted to be bringing Ise City to Cambridge! After a brief introduction of the spiritual city and its rich culture, participants will try to make a Zai (a ceremonial baton used for Okihiki) in this special workshop, under a close instruction by KAWANISHI Masahiko (Miyachu ltd.).

About Ise Jingu
Including 125 jinja (Shinto Shrines), Ise Jingu is centered around Kotaijingu (Naiku), dedicated to Amaterasu-Omikami, the revered goddess of the sun, and Toyouke-daijingu (Geku), dedicated to Toyouke-no-Omikami, deity of food and grain. More than 1,500 rituals are conducted here yearly to pray for the prosperity of the Imperial Family, world peace, and a bountiful harvest. The dismantling and rebuilding of the shrine every 20 years embodies the Shinto concept of spiritual renewal whilst keeping traditional craft practices alive.