Sanjo Industry

  In Ise City of Mie prefecture, the famous Ise Jingu (伊勢神宮) - Ise Shrine performs a Shikinen Sengu (式年遷宮) Ceremony which is the act of installing the sacred symbol of god from the old shrine to the new shrine. This ceremony also incorporates the act of rebuilding the shrine every 20 years to maintain purity and freshess for the gods. This ceremony of reconstruction originated approximately 1200 years ago, and the last reconstruction ceremony was on Oct 5th, 1993, also considered to be the 61st reconstruction.

  In the past, the traditional Japanese nails and metal fittings for Ise Shrine have been made by the local wooden boatbuilders. But due to the decline of wooden boats and wooden boat builders, in 1989, Ise Shrine commissioned the city of Sanjo with the task of forging traditional Japanese nails and metal fittings.

  Sanjo's history and skills with blacksmithing runs deep, and to be commissioned to provide blacksmith support for the famous Ise Shrine was considered to be an honour. The Sanjo Industrial Cooperative organized the "Ise Shrine Sengu Metal Fittings Production Committee" and in 1991, the city was able to provide 5 kinds of traditional Japanese nails totalling approximately 68,000 nails and 24 kinds of metal fittings totalling approximately 13,500 sets.

  Part of the commissioned traditional Japanese nails and metal fittings can be seen at the Sanjo Heritage Museum and the Sanjo and Tsubame City Messepia (Central Niigata Prefecture Regional Industries Promotion Center).