Transcript
Speaker: You're listening to the Archaeology Podcast Network. The Aisei Grand Shrine, also called Aisei Jingu, is a Paris -sized Shinto shrine complex with 125 separate temples that was founded in the 7th century. Over 1500 Shinto ceremonies are still carried out there each year.
Speaker: This is episode 42 for February 11, 2018. I'm Chris Webster and welcome to the ARK 365 Podcast 2018 edition. ARK 365 is a podcast a day every day in 2018.
Speaker: Want some all -weather vinyl stickers for your water bottle, clipboard, or whatever else? Check out our show stickers at arcpodnet .com slash stickers, and we'll ship you some today. That's arcpodnet .com slash stickers. Now back to the show. This episode is written by Christopher Booth. The IZ complex, located in the city of Aisei, May prefecture of Japan, is focused on two central shrines. The inner shrine, Neku, is dedicated to Amaterasu Omikami,
Speaker: who was the sun goddess and also the ancestral goddess of the imperial family. The outer shrine, Gekku, is dedicated to Toyo Ukei, Dajungu, the god of agriculture, the rice harvest, and industry. The complex also has 123 other peripheral shrines. The spiritual history of the site begins around 2 ,000 years ago in 4 BC when the divine Yamatoheime no Mikoto, daughter of the emperor Sunin,
Speaker: wandered Japan for 20 years looking for a permanent location to worship the goddess Amaterasu.
Speaker: According to tradition, when she reached Aisei, she heard the voice of Amaterasu telling her that she wished to remain. And so the first temple was constructed. Before this, Amaterasu had been worshipped at the imperial residence as an ancestral goddess. The chief priest or priestess of Aisei Shrine must come from the Imperial House of Japan and is responsible for watching over the shrine. The current high priestess of the shrine is Emperor Akihito's daughter, Sayako Kuroda. Besides the traditional date of foundation, the first recorded shrine built at the site was constructed by Emperor Tenmu,
Speaker: 678 -686, with the first ceremonial rebuilding happening in 692 by his wife, Empress Jito. This ceremonial rebuilding tradition is one of the unique elements of this site.
Speaker: Every 20 years, local people tear down the shrine and then rebuild it anew. They have been doing this for around 1 ,300 years. The process of rebuilding the wooden structure has helped to preserve the original architect's design, traditional manual construction skills, and spiritually renews the shrine. The style of architecture used in the construction of the icy shrines is called Shinmei Zukuri, which is characterized by its extreme simplicity, which dates back to the Kofun period, 250 to 538 CE.
Speaker: A specific style used in the shrines is called yutsu shinmei zakuri, which is not allowed to be used in any other shrines. The neku shrine is built using Japan's cypress. A series of pillars standing on the ground support the whole structure, which measures 10 .9 by 5 .5 meters. The roof is made of thatched reed. A lot of elements of this building style are stylized forms of older storehouse building techniques that predate the introduction of Buddhist architecture in Japan.
Speaker: Aisei Jingu is said to hold the sacred mirror, one of the three imperial regalia of Japan that are said to have been given to the first emperor by the gods, further emphasizing the fact that the shrine is one of Shinto's holiest and most important sites. Thank you.
Speaker: Thanks for listening to ARC 365. If you want to hear more ARC 365, check out www .arcpodnet .com slash ARC365 for the 2017 and 2018 episodes. Check out arcpodnet .com slash ARC365 -G30 for the last 30 episodes. Please subscribe and rate on your service of choice. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play, among others. Support the APN at arcpodnet .com slash members. Thanks for listening, and thanks for being awesome.
Speaker: This show is produced and recorded by the Archaeology Podcast Network, Chris Webster and Tristan Boyle, in Reno, Nevada at the Reno Collective. This has been a presentation of the Archaeology Podcast Network. Visit us on the web for show notes and other podcasts at www .archpodnet .com. Contact us at chrisatarchaeologypodcastnetwork .com.
