It is said that the shinmei-zukuri style, represented by the Ise-jingu Shrine building, is one of the oldest styles of shrine architecture, together with the taisha-zukuri style, represented by the Izumo-taisha shrine building, and the Sumiyoshi-zukuri style, represented by the Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine building.
伊勢神宮に代表される神明造は、出雲大社に代表される大社造や住吉大社に代表される住吉造と共に、もっとも古い神社建築様式とされる。