The first Shikinen Sengu was performed in 690, in the time of Empress Jito, and since then, with only a few exceptions such as during the Sengoku period (period of warring states), has been conducted once every 20 years (there were some postponements), and the 61st Shikinen Sengu was conducted in 1993.
690年の持統天皇の御代に始まり、戦国時代などの中断期を除き、1993年の第61回式年遷宮まで連綿と20年ごと（一部延期などあり）に続けられてきている。