The two main shrine buildings at the Ise Grand Shrine complex are rebuilt every 20 years, and photographer Yoshio Watanabe captured images of three of these landmark occasions. Prior to WWII, admission to the Ise Grand Shrine was strictly limited; with only Shinto priests and those directly related to shrine affairs permitted access, and photographs could only be taken from outside of the shrine’s enclosure. Yoshio Watanabe’s photographs of the rebuilding of the main shrine in 1953, 1973 and 1993 are therefore considered as significant historical archives.

At the beginning of 1952, the Society for Promotion of International Cultural Relations decided to publish a photographic collection to introduce Japanese culture to an international audience. Watanabe was commissioned to compile a photo collection of the Ise Grand Shrine, and thus began the photographer’s lifelong fascination with the sacred shrine. At the outset of the project, however, many shrine priests and officials were outraged by the decision and permission to take photographs of the sacred site was denied. The following year, rebuilding work of the main shrine to re-house the Shinto deity was underway, and Watanabe managed to persuade shrine officials that his photographic project was aimed solely at capturing images of the architecture of the shrine, and promised that he would not be taking any photographs of the ceremony for the transfer of the deity to the new shrine building. He was therefore granted permission and thus became the first person ever to take photographs from within the shrine complex.

In 1993, after completing his third photo session of the rebuilding of the main shrine, Watanabe commented, “If I am able to take photos of the next reconstruction, I would really like to capture the entire rebuilding process from start to finish. Actually, that is what I wanted to do on this occasion, but unfortunately I didn’t have enough time. In photography, you really have to capture images when you have the chance. The opportunity may never come again.”

This exhibition features original prints of the valuable historical photographs that Watanabe took of the rebuilding of the main shrine in 1953 and 1973. The architectural splendor of the shrine that Watanabe captured in his images astounded fellow photographers at the time, and we are delighted to offer visitors the opportunity to view the exquisite depictions that Watanabe captured using a large-format camera and silver halide photographic film.

Born in Niigata Prefecture, and graduated from the Tokyo School of Photography (modern-day Tokyo Polytechnic University) in 1928. Joined the Oriental Photo Company and worked on magazines such as the popular Photo Times. He was later admitted to the New Photography Research Society and became a strong advocate of new styles of photography. After the war, he became particularly interested in architectural photography, capturing images of the Imperial Hotel, and the ancient Horyuji and Todaiji temples in Nara. In 1953, he became the first ever photographer granted permission to take photographs of the reconstruction of the main shrine building in the Ise Grand Shrine complex, and went on to record images of the shrine reconstructions in 1973 and 1993. In 1957, he was elected as chairman of the Japan Professional Photographers Society, a position he held for 23 years, and was also appointed as the first director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. His publications include The Imperial Hotel and The Ise Grand Shrine.