Ise Province

See also: Provinces

Izumi Province

Ise Province (伊勢国) was one of the many provinces in Japan.

Legendary Period

During the reign of Emperor Suinin his daughter Yamatohime is entrusted with the care of Amaterasu. She goes searching for a place to enshrine Amaterasu travelling through Sasahata in Uda, then Mino and finally reaches Ise.³

The Jinnō Shōtōki says she toured the provinces at Amaterasu’s command, further saying she chose the headwaters of the Isuzu River in the Watarai District of Ise in the 26th year, 10th month of Suinin’s reign.²

Here the kami communes with Yamatohime saying she wishes to dwell in Ise and so a shrine was built. When the shrine was first built Amaterasu made a descent from Heaven.³ And so following this the Emperor takes the Sacred Regalia and houses them in the Naiku Shrine here.⁴

The Jinnō Shōtōki says that she placed the Sword and Mirror into the shrine herself.²

During the establishment of the area it is said she enquired about the area.
Ōtanomikoto, a descendant of Sarudabiko, was the one who told her about the place she chose. He tells her that here there were 50 bells arranged in the shape of the shrine of Heaven, one legend even saying the Jewelled Spear of Heaven was also kept here.

Ōtanomikoto also telling her that these items here had been worshipped for 80,000 years.²

Emperor Keikō visits here when he wished to see the lands subdued by Yamato Takeru.³

Heian Period

During this period we know that Fujiwara no Tsugukage was stationed here as Governor. His daughter Lady Ise takes her name from this province as her real name is unknown.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Varley, H.P (1980) “A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa.” New York: Columbia University Press.
3. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697”. Tuttle Publishing.
4. Ponsonby, F. (1959) “The Imperial House of Japan.” Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society.

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