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Meoto Iwa

Mie · Ise · Contemporary Art

Japanese name: 二見興玉神社と夫婦岩

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Meoto Iwa
Photo: Unknown / Public domain · Source ↗
WHAT TO DOMeoto Iwa

Two sea rocks joined by a sacred rope; at the summer solstice the sun rises between them, completing the composition.

WHEREMie

Ise-Shima · Ise

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Overview

Two sea rocks joined by a sacred rope; at the summer solstice the sun rises between them, completing the composition.

About this place

Meoto Iwa (夫婦岩), or Married Couple Rocks, are a kind of rock formation seen as religiously significant in Shinto. They are a subtype of Iwakura rock. According to Shinto, the rocks represent the union of the creator kami, Izanagi and Izanami. The rocks, therefore, celebrate the union in marriage of man and woman. The most famous pair is the pair at Futami Okitama Shrine in Futami-ga-ura, two rocky stacks off the coast from Ise, Mie, Japan. They are joined by a shimenawa (a heavy rope of rice straw) and are considered sacred by worshippers of the shrine. The shimenawa, composed of five separate strands which each have a mass of 40 kilograms, must be replaced several times a year in a special ceremony. The larger rock, said to be male, has a small torii at its peak.At dawn during the summer, the sun appears to rise between the two rocks. Mount Fuji is visible in the distance. At low tide, the rocks are not separated by water. Okitama Shrine is dedicated to Sarutahiko Ōkami and imperial food goddess Ukanomitama. There are numerous statues of frogs around the shrine. The shrine and the two rocks are near the Grand Shrine of Ise, the most important location of purification in Shinto.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Source ja.wikipedia.org ↗

Key facts

Founded / opened:Edo period Highlights / collection:Two rocks joined by a shimenawa rope Genre:Outdoor art and land art

Source ja.wikipedia.org ↗

Official website

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Source futamiokitamajinja.or.jp ↗

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