Ise Shrine Rebuilt Every Generation

In Ise, Japan, the most sacred shrine in the Shinto religion is not preserved as an ancient structure but torn down and rebuilt on a neighboring site every 20 years. For more than a thousand years, priests, carpenters, and artisans have followed this cycle, dismantling the old buildings and constructing identical new ones with fresh wood. The ritual renewal keeps the shrine perpetually young while preserving age-old craftsmanship and religious tradition.

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