Ise City, Mie Prefecture: Nana Nakagawa, Teruie of Batteries, Suzuran Ise of ANGERME, and Others Join the Opening of the 63rd Shikinen Sengu 'Okihiki Ceremony'.

The 'Okihiki Ceremony', the most anticipated event of the 63rd Shikinen Sengu at Ise Jingu scheduled for Reiwa 15, will be held from Reiwa 8 to Reiwa 9. The 'Okihiki Ceremony' is a local Ise tradition in which timber designated for the new shrine buildings is ceremonially pulled and offered to the shrine. Among numerous rituals, it is one of the few events in which the general public can participate.

The first phase of the Okihiki Ceremony, known as 'Okabiki' (land hauling), was conducted over 15 days on weekends from May 9 to June 13, attracting approximately 57,900 participants, including local citizens and worshippers from across Japan, bringing heightened excitement to the city of Ise.

Numerous notable figures also participated. Their firsthand accounts are available on the official campaign website—please visit to hear their voices.

Highlights from the 63rd Shikinen Sengu 'Okihiki Ceremony (Land Hauling)'

Overview of the Okihiki Ceremony (Initial Ceremony and Land Hauling)

[Initial Okihiki Ceremony (Yakibiki)]

Date: April 12 and 13

Description: A special Okihiki ceremony in which representative timbers for the main and auxiliary shrines of Ise Jingu are ceremonially hauled into the sacred precincts.

The Naiku (Inner Shrine) district's 20 hauling groups transported 10 timbers, while the Geku (Outer Shrine) district's 9 groups hauled and enshrined 7 timbers.

Scene from the April 12 Initial Ceremony (River Hauling) | Scene from the April 13 Initial Ceremony (Land Hauling)

[Local Hauling Groups]

Dates: May 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31; June 6, 7, 13 (11 days total)

Participants: Approximately 37,900 people (53 groups)

Eligibility: Residents of Ise City and others

Scene from Local Hauling Group ① | Scene from Local Hauling Group ②

[Special Divine Territory Participants]

Dates: May 10, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31; June 5, 6, 7, 13 (14 days total)

Participants: Approximately 20,000 people

Eligibility: Devotees of Ise Jingu from across Japan and others

Scene from Special Divine Territory Hauling ① | Scene from Special Divine Territory Hauling ②

['Ise-Shima Sengu Tabi'] Ise-Shima Travel Report from the Okihiki Ceremony – Personal Reflections from Participants [Joint Project by Ise City, Mie Prefecture, and the Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization]

For this year’s land hauling portion of the Okihiki Ceremony, numerous prominent figures participated, including Nana Nakagawa (Ise-Shima Ambassador), Teruie of Batteries (Mie Oni-nai Navigator), and Suzuran Ise of ANGERME (Ise SNS Tourism Ambassador).

As a joint initiative by Ise City, Mie Prefecture, and the Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization, reports and videos capturing the day’s events have been produced and are now available on a dedicated website.

This year, individuals of diverse ages, genders, and professional backgrounds shared their personal perspectives on the Okihiki Ceremony and the charm of Ise. Many expressed the intense energy and unity of the event. Common sentiments included: 'synchronizing breath with others and achieving the ceremony as one' and 'feeling deeply moved to be part of a long-standing tradition passed down through generations.'

Additionally, some participants’ reports highlight notable attractions in Ise-Shima visited alongside the ceremony.

We invite you to visit the dedicated website to read heartfelt reports filled with the passion of the Okihiki Ceremony and the allure of Ise-Shima.

Videos are also available on the Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization’s social media platforms (Instagram, X, YouTube).

[Individuals featured on the dedicated website (in order of participation)]

・Osamu Suzuki

・Yuna Taira

・Rugby players from Toyota Verblitz (Kazuki Hime no, Rikiya Matsuda, Shinya Komura)

・Nana Nakagawa ※ Ise-Shima Ambassador (Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization)

・Miki Sumiyoshi

・Teruie (Batteries) ※ Mie Oni-nai Navigator (Mie Prefecture)

・Suzuran Ise (ANGERME) ※ Ise SNS Tourism Ambassador (Ise City Tourism Association)

・Ryojun Ishihara

[Dedicated Website]

https://www.iseshima-kanko.jp/okihiki-iseshima/

[Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization Social Media]

・Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iseshimacvo/

・X: https://x.com/iseshima_cvo

・YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCun6TSzQTxGznOYQf2UCYnw

Additionally, many notable figures, including Yuna Taira from Tokyo Girls Collection, participated in this year’s Okihiki Ceremony.

Tokyo Girls Collection has partnered with the Ise Sengu Committee and the Ise-Shima Tourism Convention Organization on a project to raise awareness among younger generations for the 63rd Shikinen Sengu.

For details about the project and reports from the ceremony day, please visit the website below.

[W TOKYO Co., Ltd. Corporate Site]

URL: https://w-tokyo.co.jp/news/1299/

Osamu Suzuki | Yuna Taira

Rugby players from Toyota Verblitz (Kazuki Hime no, Rikiya Matsuda, Shinya Komura) | Nana Nakagawa

Miki Sumiyoshi | Teruie (Batteries)

Suzuran Ise (ANGERME) | Ryojun Ishihara

[Ise City × TOKYO FM Joint Project: 'Blue Ocean' Ise City Special – A Journey to the Reiwa 15 Sengu]

In collaboration with TOKYO FM, five special episodes of the radio program 'Blue Ocean', hosted by Miki Sumiyoshi, were broadcast. Guests with ties to Ise, including Osamu Suzuki and Nana Nakagawa, joined to share their perspectives on the charm of Ise.

In the fifth special episode, Miki Sumiyoshi visited Ise in person and shared her firsthand experiences of participating in the Okihiki Ceremony and exploring local attractions.

The program’s dedicated website features highlights from the broadcasts and additional information about Ise—please visit.

[Dedicated Website]

URL: https://www.tfm.co.jp/bo/ise2026/

Miki Sumiyoshi, host of 'Blue Ocean', with guest Osamu Suzuki | Miki Sumiyoshi participating in the Okihiki Ceremony

Content from the Initial Okihiki Ceremony (Yakibiki) featured on Okada Junichi’s project 'MILEZ'

Content from the Initial Okihiki Ceremony (Yakibiki) has been published on the official website of actor Okada Junichi’s project 'MILEZ'—please visit.

About MILEZ:

MILEZ is a project launched by actor Okada Junichi with the mission of passing valuable traditions, culture, and craftsmanship to the next generation.

The project aims to preserve and promote Japan’s traditions, culture, and techniques by documenting local festivals and traditional crafts through videos, photos, and articles, and sharing them domestically and internationally.

[MILEZ Official Website]

https://milez.jp/article/fo56m9b72iu/

[MILEZ Instagram]

https: