Meoto Iwa & Futami Okitama Shrine
夫婦岩・二見興玉神社
Two rocks in the sea at Futami Bay, one large and one small, linked by a sacred rope. They symbolize marital harmony, and around the summer solstice you can watch the sun rise between them.
Meoto Iwa, the Wedded Rocks, stand in the sea off the Futami Bay coast in Ise and are the symbol of Futami Okitama Shrine. The 'male rock,' about 9 m high, and the 'female rock,' about 4 m high, are linked by a sacred rope about 35 m long, which is replaced several times a year. Since ancient times, visitors heading to the Ise Grand Shrine have first purified themselves in the sea at Futami Bay (hamasango). From May to July, around the summer solstice, the sun rises between the two rocks. On clear winter days, Mount Fuji can sometimes be seen in the distance. The shrine grounds are full of frog statues, a pun on the Japanese word for 'return' that symbolizes a safe homecoming. Admission is free. Getting there: about 15 minutes on foot from JR Futamiura Station. The Ise Sea Paradise aquarium is next door.
Opening hours
All day (shrine office approx. 09:00–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Ise Sea Paradise
- Ise Ninja Kingdom
- Kongosho-ji Temple & Ise-Shima Skyline
- Toba Aquarium
- Mikimoto Pearl Island
- Jingu Chokokan Museum
- Ise Kawasaki Merchant District
- Sarutahiko Shrine