Ise

The Ise Grand Shrine is considered one of the most sacred Shinto Shrines in Japan. The inner shrine supposedly dates back to the 3rd Century and enshrines the sun goddess Amaterasu. Therefore, it has much more significance than the outer shrine. To get to the Inner Shrine, you'd need to take a bus from the Ise station. The get to the actual Shrine, you'd walk through a woodsy park, surrounded by many many large trees. You can almost imagine how sacred and spiritual the entire shrine complex is. There are also some religious "symbols" representing certain elements that I have no knowledge of. (I saw people praying in front of stones.) The main shrine building is hidden behind wooden fences. Only certain people can enter the building. Therefore, unless you're one of these special privilege people (I actually saw these people entering), you will only be observing from behind the wooden fences. There's nothing much to see from this point, to be honest. You also cannot take any pictures.

When in Mie Prefecture, a visit to Ise Jingu is a must :). It was a certain Japanese animation that I learned about this Shrine. The character have something to ask from the gods and he/she made a pilgrimage to this shrine and the wish was granted. Searching the internet I found out the location actually existed, so when I got the chance to visit Ise, I made a visit too. The place is huge and have a certain peaceful aura to it. Maybe it's because of the old trees all over place. It was a holiday in Japan and people were doing there temple/shrine visit but since everybody is scattered around, it does not feel crowded at all. Even if you are not a religious person, you can still enjoy the very beautiful nature this place has to offer. Very zen, a great place to find that inner peace.