#12 Ise Grand Shrine, Japan
We are not worthy .. We are not worthy!
The Ise Grand Shrine in Japan is only accessible to the Japanese royal family’s priests or priestesses- that is how sacred the site is.!
This ancient Shinto shrine from 4BC is in honor of Amaterasu, a highly revered goddess and has a holy artifact called the Sacred Mirror which, in Japanese culture, represents honesty and wisdom.
Over the years, even though Ise Grand Shrine has been closed off to the public, this artifact has been lost, burnt, stolen and even sometimes tossed into the sea. However, Japanese officials have always recovered it.