Visiting Japanese Shrines — A High-Value Journey Where Beauty and Intellect Converge

Japanese shrines are places where architectural beauty, traditional culture, and harmony with nature all come alive. As a visitor from abroad, you might at first find these sacred spaces deeply mysterious and even enchanting. Yet as you learn more about the rich culture and history behind them, you’ll discover that shrines hold far more meaning and provide an emotional experience far beyond a mere tourist attraction.

When you stand in the solemn spaces of a Japanese shrine, the weight of history and artistic beauty that transcends time and cultures is sure to move you. Shrines also offer many elements that will spark your intellectual curiosity, especially if you consider yourself a culturally curious traveler. In recent years, they have also become destinations that reflect Japan’s growing environmental awareness. In this article, we invite you to journey through shrines across Japan — a high-value journey where beauty and intellect converge.

Aesthetics and Cultural History at Japanese Shrines

At Japanese shrines, you can experience not only beautiful architecture and art on the grounds but also immerse yourself in the mythological and historical stories that give these places life. By exploring these spaces, you’ll feel an intellectual thrill as you connect with their ancient tales and traditions. If you have a deep interest in traditional culture, visiting shrines can feel like wandering through a living museum or an open-air gallery of heritage.

Shrine Architecture’s Appeal — A Journey into Aesthetic Sensibilities

First and foremost, you’ll notice the unique aesthetic sensibility expressed in Japanese shrine architecture. For example, the halls of Ise Grand Shrine are built in a style called Yuitsu Shinmei-zukuri. These are raised-floor buildings with gabled roofs and a simple, linear design made of unfinished cypress wood (hinoki) (＊1). By eliminating flashy decorations and highlighting the polished natural texture of the wood, this style actually dates back to the granaries of the Yayoi period. It carries forward a tradition of building with pillars set directly into the ground, evoking the Japanese ideal of “beauty in simplicity” (＊1).

Interestingly, the halls of Ise Grand Shrine are rebuilt every twenty years. Unlike European stone cathedrals that keep their original structures for centuries, rebuilding the shrine anew with the same design to preserve tradition is a uniquely Japanese concept. Learning about this cyclic ritual, known as Shikinen Sengū, might surprise Western travelers — it can give you an “aha!” moment by revealing a flow of time and faith very different from the Western perspective.

Meanwhile, at Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture you will see Japan’s oldest shrine architectural style, Taisha-zukuri. Its main hall is a massive gabled building built on a large raised platform, with nine pillars of equal height supporting the structure (＊2). The current main hall is around 24 meters tall, and its impressive form vividly conveys the grandeur of ancient Japanese shrine architecture (＊2).

In contrast to Ise’s understated simplicity, at Izumo Taisha it is the sheer scale that evokes a sense of sacredness. This contrast shows that even within Japan there are truly diverse aesthetic ideals. A journey comparing these various shrine styles allows you to feel firsthand the richness of Japanese ideas about beauty and the profound depth of their history.

Enjoying Art on Shrine Grounds — The World of Sculptures and Gardens

Shrine grounds themselves can be considered works of art. In Tochigi Prefecture, Nikko’s Toshogu Shrine is famous for its lavishly decorated buildings, a spectacular artistic display filled with vividly colored carvings and ornaments. On the National Treasure “Yomeimon Gate” alone — and across the shrine complex — you’ll find over 500 carvings that intricately depict animals, legendary figures, and more (＊3). Among these is the carving of the Three Wise Monkeys (“see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”), a piece that humorously teaches the lesson of avoiding wrongdoing and is well known worldwide (＊3). For many Western visitors, discovering such playful art within a sacred space is a delightful surprise and a point of great interest.

In Kyoto, Ryoanji Temple’s stone garden is celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of dry-landscape gardening (＊4). The garden is extremely simple: fifteen stones of various sizes are arranged on raked white gravel, inviting endless interpretation. This pinnacle of abstract design draws you into a deep meditative experience (＊4). At first glance, a visitor might see nothing more than an empty space, but as you sit quietly before it, your mind will calm and give rise to different interpretations. This mysterious allure reflects Japan’s spirit of wabi-sabi and its unique aesthetic values, and many travelers find themselves gaining a completely new appreciation of art through this experience.

In this way, if you take the time to deeply appreciate the sculptures and garden beauty alive in the spaces of shrines and temples, you can savor Japanese aesthetics in their true essence — quite different from Western culture. From richly ornate décor to forms stripped down to the barest abstraction, you may often find yourself exclaiming, “So this is what beauty can look like!”

Touring Japanese Mythology and Historical Stories

When you visit a Japanese shrine, take a moment to think about the myths and historical stories behind its founding. For example, Ise Grand Shrine enshrines Amaterasu Ōmikami, the Sun Goddess, who according to myth hid in a cave and later descended to earth carrying the Three Sacred Treasures — stories deeply tied to Japan’s origins (＊5). Interestingly, the fact that the highest deity is female contrasts with many Western mythologies, where leading gods are often male, reflecting a distinctive feature of Japanese culture. Historically, Ise Shrine even selected an unmarried princess of the imperial family (a saio) to serve Amaterasu in place of the emperor — a tradition that highlights Japan’s unique values.

On the other hand, Izumo Taisha in Shimane Prefecture is dedicated to Ōkuninushi-no-Ōkami, a god featured in the “White Rabbit of Inaba” story and the myth of the kuni-yuzuri (the transferring of land) after the creation of Japan. Ōkuninushi is also widely revered as the god of matchmaking, and you’ll often see visitors praying there for good relationships and marriages. When you realize that grand narratives on a scale comparable to Greek or Norse mythology are alive in Japan’s shrines, you might feel a fresh thrill thinking, “The world of myth is still alive here!”

Knowing these mythological and historical backgrounds before your visit will make each shrine’s presence feel all the more meaningful. By imagining the hidden stories within the old halls and the sacred atmosphere, you get a wonderful thrill — almost like time travel. If you want to learn even more in depth, consider joining tours or lectures led by Shinto scholars or cultural anthropologists. For example, in Kyoto there are small-group tours where a local religious studies expert guides visitors through Yasaka Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple, and other sites while explaining Japan’s religious culture in English (＊6). Learning about a shrine’s background from an expert’s perspective will answer your questions and make the journey deeply fulfilling — you might find yourself nodding along to explanations and thinking, “That’s it!” as new discoveries await.

Environmentally Conscious and Sustainable Shrine Touring

For modern travelers, being mindful of the environment is an indispensable part of a high-value journey. On a shrine tour in Japan, you can make your trip sustainable by traveling in an electric vehicle (EV), staying at eco-conscious accommodations, and even learning about the shrines’ own conservation efforts.

Traveling by Tesla — Shrine Charging Station Information

For shrine-hoppers who prefer an eco-friendly ride, Japan is surprisingly convenient for driving an EV. Fast chargers are increasingly being installed at highway service areas, roadside stations (michi-no-eki), and near popular tourist spots, so you won’t struggle to recharge on your journey. For example, in 2024 Nissan, JTB (Japan Travel Bureau), and others launched a project called “GREEN JOURNEY” to promote sustainable tourism (＊1). Demonstration tours were conducted in Shima City (near Ise Shrine, Mie Prefecture) and Aso City (Kumamoto Prefecture), where electric vehicles emitting no CO₂ were used for all travel (＊1).

This project also involves installing new charging spots in parking lots of tourist sites and at accommodations so that you can top up your car during free time on your trip (＊1). By turning charging waiting time into opportunities to experience local nature and culture, it aims to reduce the anxiety of EV travel while increasing the value of your overall experience (＊1).

For EV drivers touring Japan, be sure to use the charging station information and dedicated apps provided by local governments to plan a comfortable, eco-friendly shrine tour. If you identify the charger locations along your route in advance, you can confidently extend your trip even to remote shrines. The combination of a forward-thinking journey with traditional shrine culture will surely become a special memory.

Enjoying a Quality Stay in Eco-Luxury Accommodations

Your shrine tour can be greatly enriched by paying attention to your choice of accommodations. Eco-friendly yet luxurious “eco-luxury” lodgings have started appearing in various regions, expanding the options for travelers. NEMU RESORT in Ise-Shima National Park (Shima City, Mie Prefecture) is a prime example. The resort introduced reusable water bottles to reduce plastic waste: instead of disposable bottles, water is provided in refillable containers. There are also EV charging stations on site, and the entire facility embraces sustainable practices (＊2).

In the evening, you can enjoy peaceful moments connected to nature — for example, sitting around a campfire under a star-filled sky in an outdoor lounge (＊2). The resort also offers cuisine made with local ingredients and wellness programs in the forest, making the stay itself an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the region’s nature and culture.

In Kyoto, the Six Senses Kyoto hotel opened in 2024, bringing a world-famous nature-luxury brand to Japan. It has on-site purified water bottling, aiming to eliminate millions of plastic bottles annually while providing the highest level of service. From the latest in eco-hospitality to traditional high-end ryokans, choosing accommodations that blend environmental mindfulness with luxury has become one of the new appeals of traveling in Japan.

Examples of Japanese Shrines Committed to Environmental Conservation

In fact, Japanese shrines have long played a role in protecting the natural environment. A shrine’s forest, known as a “chinju no mori” (sacred grove), has traditionally served as a windbreak and a barrier against waves, nurturing diverse ecosystems. A prime example is Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, which is surrounded by a vast forest in the heart of the city. In the 1920s, about 100,000 saplings gathered from all over Japan were planted there, and after a century this evergreen broadleaf forest now spans roughly 700,000 square meters.

Recent surveys have confirmed about 2,840 species living there, including newly discovered species and rare butterflies (＊4). Even in the middle of a metropolis, Meiji Shrine’s chinju no mori acts as a treasure trove of biodiversity and a true “healing oasis” for city dwellers.

At Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, officials engage in forest management planning that looks more than 100 years ahead. A cypress planting project begun in the Taisho era marked its centennial in 2023 — yet those trees still need another 100 years to reach ideal size (＊3). Informed by a massive flood that hit the region in that era, they aim not only to secure wood for shrine rebuilding but also to create a stronger forest by cultivating a diversity of tree species. By managing vegetation with both cypress and broadleaf trees, they seek to retain water, prevent landslides, preserve scenery, and ultimately protect people’s lives and livelihoods (＊3).

Furthermore, during the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011 there are reports that a shrine’s sacred forest on higher ground acted as a coastal barrier, helping protect the area from the tsunami. In recent years, shrines across Japan have been reevaluated for their roles in environmental protection and disaster prevention, and the fusion of traditional culture with nature conservation has gained worldwide attention.

Learning about the wisdom of shrine culture — which has coexisted with nature for centuries in an approach different from modern environmentalism — may make you think, “So this is how they were protecting the environment!” Discovering these deep connections between shrines and nature through your journey will surely be one of the greatest rewards of your trip.

Traditional Culture Workshops and Lecture Experiences at Shrines

For travelers who love learning, Japanese shrines can be more than just places to see — they can be places to experience culture firsthand. By joining workshops and classes held on shrine grounds or nearby, you can transform your trip into an opportunity to immerse yourself in Japan’s traditional culture. Stepping beyond the role of a passive tourist and becoming a participant in the culture can give you a deeper understanding and special memories.

Traditional Culture Workshops Available on Shrine Grounds

Why not try experiencing traditional Japanese arts in the serene setting of a shrine? Programs such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and calligraphy are offered at various locations. In a tea ceremony held in a formal tearoom, you learn the proper etiquette and movements while savoring a bowl of matcha and appreciating the spirit of wabi-sabi that it embodies.

For example, at Urahoro Shrine in Hokkaido, a Japanese culture experience tour for foreign visitors was held, where participants learned from a tea ceremony master and prepared their own matcha to taste (＊1). Sipping a cup of tea you make yourself in the fresh air, with its fragrance filling the moment, will surely be a special memory of your trip (＊1).

In a calligraphy workshop, surrounded by the scent of ink, you can take up the brush and write beautiful Japanese characters with your own hand. Some shrines even offer unique programs: you can try writing a character in your goshuinchō (temple stamp book) or inscribing your favorite words with a brush on an ema wooden plaque as an offering.

These experiences will deepen your understanding of Japanese culture and give you a quiet sense of accomplishment. Travelers who normally would only take photos might find themselves exclaiming, “Wow, it’s so much deeper than I thought!” after trying it themselves.

Local instructors warmly welcome participants from abroad, so feel free to give it a try. In fact, they appreciate the interest from distant visitors and find it stimulating to teach. By joining in and supporting the culture yourself, you experience a joy of exchange that ordinary sightseeing cannot provide.
(＊1 Source: Tokachi Mainichi News “Experience Japanese culture at a shrine – Urahoro Shrine tour for foreign visitors”https://kachimai.jp/article/index.php?no=608238)

Learning from Experts — Shrine and Japanese Culture Lectures

If you want to learn more systematically about shrines and Japanese culture, there are lectures and seminars led by experts that you can join. University programs and local continuing-education courses often cover topics like Shinto history, shrine architecture, the meaning of festivals, and more. For example, Meiji University’s Liberty Academy offers an online course titled “Shrines and Festivals: The Spiritual History of Japan,” allowing working professionals to study Japan’s religious culture in a structured way (＊2).

Also, there is the official Jinja Kentei (shrine certification) supervised by the Association of Shinto Shrines, and related special seminars and cultural courses are held in various regions. For instance, special courses themed on Iwashimizu Hachimangu in Kyoto or lecture series like “Japan’s Four Seasons: Gods and Festivals” provide valuable opportunities to learn directly from experts (＊3).

Furthermore, workshops where a local shrine priest (kannushi) or a museum curator acts as the instructor, held right in the shrine precincts, are also popular. For example, at one shrine a class was organized where participants toured the grounds while a priest explained the site, and at the end they experienced a formal worship and tamagushi offering at the altar. Hearing such insider perspectives, you’ll often have those “I see, so that’s how it is” moments, gaining knowledge and inspiration that simple sightseeing can’t provide.

Participating in programs like these will undoubtedly make your journey even more meaningful. It’s like not just reading knowledge from a book, but learning directly from a traditional storyteller, and your understanding of Japanese culture will deepen dramatically. The new perspectives you encounter on this learning journey will surely enrich your travel experience.

In Conclusion

A journey visiting Japan’s shrines is truly a high-value trip where tradition and the cutting edge fuse together. You’ll be mesmerized by beautiful shrine architecture, captivated by stories of history and myth, and even soothed in the sacred forests of protection, feeling a future-oriented spirit of sustainability — each of these experiences creates an irreplaceable moment where beauty and intellect intersect.

Across the country, a diverse array of destinations awaits: from venerable grand shrines like Ise Jingu and Izumo Taisha to local shrines creatively showcasing their charms. For travelers who wish to deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture, shrine-hopping can be a journey filled with endless learning and discovery.

Whether it’s experiencing traditional arts, admiring architectural beauty, imagining the world of mythology, or connecting with a sustainable spirit passed on to the future, what you gain from visiting shrines is immeasurable. These experiences, beyond mere tourism, enrich your life and broaden your perspective in valuable ways.

The insights and emotions you cultivate through these cross-cultural encounters will surely leave a deep imprint on your heart. Step into the journey of visiting Japan’s shrines, filled with beauty and intellect. Unforgettable experiences await you.