Ise Jingu: How Ritual Reconstruction Preserves Lost Process Knowledge

Ise Jingu and the Pyramid of Enabling Technologies (2021)

I explore how the Ise Jingu shrine in Japan remains perpetually young through a 1,300-year tradition of rebuilding every 20 years. This massive industrial effort recreates ancient structures and artifacts using traditional hand tools, ensuring that vital process knowledge is passed down through generations. Unlike written records, these practical skills survive only because the institutions create the conditions for direct, hands-on learning.

"It’s not uncommon for written knowledge on a subject to be voluminous, while process knowledge on the same subject is nearly nonexistent."