Rituals of the Imperial Family describes various
Rituals
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...
related to the
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
(the
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
and the Imperial Family). Of these, ceremonies related to the
Emperor
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
can be divided into two categories: national acts as stipulated in Article 7 of the Japanese Constitution, and official acts that do not fall under this category.
Pregnancy-Birth
Gochaku obi
A ceremony held on the day of the dog, the ninth month of pregnancy, for female members of the Imperial Family who have conceived a child, to pray for a safe delivery. In the case of
Empress Masako
is as the consort of Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019. Masako, who was educated at Harvard and Oxford, had a prior career as a diplomat.
Early life and education
was born on 9 December 1963 at Toranomon ...
, the Emperor presented her with a red and white silk sash, which was then delivered to the expectant female royal family member by a palace official sent by the sash's parent, followed by a Gochaku Shinken no Gi. Sanctuaries, Three Palaces, and takes it back to the
Palace to worship on behalf of the couple. The sash is then taken by the head priest to the
Three Palace Sanctuaries
The are a group of structures in the precincts of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Japan. They are used in imperial religious ceremonies, including weddings and enthronements.
The three sanctuaries are:
* ''Kashiko-dokoro'' (賢所) – the centra ...
for substitute worship. The obi is offered to the temple at the end of each of the three halls, and a prayer of congratulations is said. This series of ceremonies is called ''Kashikokoro Kourei-den Shin-den ni Chakutai Hokoku no Gi''. After the ceremony, the sash is delivered again by the attendant, and the crown prince in his morning clothes ties the sash on the queen, who is dressed in daily daily daily cloth and
Hakama
are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. Originally stemming from (), the trousers worn by members of the Chinese imperial court in the Sui and Tang dynasties, this style was adopted by the Japanese in the form of in the 6th centu ...
, with the help of the attendant.
In addition, in the fifth month of pregnancy, an ''internal dressing'' is performed.
But it is not a formal ceremony. In the case of the Crown Princess, she wears a very light indigo daily cloth and a bright scarlet
Hakama
are a type of traditional Japanese clothing. Originally stemming from (), the trousers worn by members of the Chinese imperial court in the Sui and Tang dynasties, this style was adopted by the Japanese in the form of in the 6th centu ...
, and the Chief of the Household of the Crown Prince carries the Obi presented by the Empress into the room. The Crown Prince, dressed in a morning gown and led by a maid of honor, enters, and the couple sits in chairs facing each other. The maid of honor places the obi over the queen's hakama and makes a loose bow knot in front, which the queen herself ties. After the couple leaves and the ceremony is complete, a member of the Togu staff dressed in formal mourning attire says a few words of congratulations, and then the Director General of the Imperial Household Agency delivers the "Onshukushi. The couple will have lunch at the Imperial Palace in the afternoon and report to the Emperor and Empress.
Gifted Sword Ceremony
A ceremony in which a child is born into the imperial family and the emperor gives the child a guardian sword for the purpose of protecting the child in the hope that the child will grow up healthy. The
kotatana is wrapped in red brocade with a white wooden scabbard and placed in a paulownia box with the Emperor's crest, and entrusted to a messenger (imperial envoy) who receives the Emperor's wishes at the palace. In modern times, the Imperial Sword is subject to the
Muzzle Act.
Ritual of Spore Burial
A jar containing
Placenta
The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mate ...
s is buried in the ground. This was done at least until the birth of
Takako Kiyomiya.
Bathing ceremony
This ceremony is held on the seventh day of the child's birth. The room is divided into two parts, and in one part, a maid gives the child a bath. In the other room, a tokusho yaku wearing a robe and cape recites a classical text (usually from the
Nihon Shoki), while a meigen yaku draws a bowstring with a shout. Depending on the situation, the bathing may only be imitated.
Naming Ceremony
This ceremony is held on the seventh day of the child's birth. The name of the child is written with a brush on a piece of Odakadan-gami paper, and a piece of Japanese paper on which the child's personal seal is written is placed in a paulownia box and placed at the child's bedside. The day after this ceremony, the child's name is recorded in the Imperial Records as an official member of the Imperial Family. This is the "Oshichiya" in general.
Sanden Hokokunogi
At the same time and day as the naming ceremony, a worshiper announces the birth and naming of a child to Miyanaka Sanden.
Rite of visiting the Palace Sanctuaries (kashikodokoro-koureiden-shinden ni essuru no gi)
A ceremony in which a child visits the
Three Palace Sanctuaries
The are a group of structures in the precincts of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Japan. They are used in imperial religious ceremonies, including weddings and enthronements.
The three sanctuaries are:
* ''Kashiko-dokoro'' (賢所) – the centra ...
, starting at the Kashikodokoro, then the Koureiden, and lastly the Shinden, for the first time on the 50th day after birth. This is similar to
Miyamairi, a traditional
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...
rite of passage
A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
in
Japan for newborns.
The Ceremony of the First Chopsticks
This is a ritual in which red bean porridge is prepared in a new bowl or chopsticks and fed to the child on the 100th - 120th day after birth, in hopes that the child will grow up healthy. In reality, however, it is only an imitation of eating. This is called "Okitsuke" in general.
Growth
The ceremony of wearing hakama
When a child is five years old, he or she wears the hakama that was given to him or her during the ceremony of the Presentation of the Sword.
[1970年10月19日 朝日新聞「礼宮さまが"着袴の儀"」] Men wore white silk hakama on top of "Ochitakizu no Gofuku", a kimono decorated with a waterfall design, while women wore dark reddish-purple kosode and hakama of the same color.
Fukasogi no Gi
The ceremony is held following the Kimono Ceremony. In addition to the kimono and hakama worn in the ceremony, a child's kimono is worn in a separate room. The child stands on the board with a pine tree and a small branch of mountain tachibana, and after cutting the child's hair a little, the child jumps down with a shout.
。
: Originally, the ceremony was independent of the Kimono ceremony, but by the early modern period, it was performed simultaneously. The ceremony was held for the first time in 41 years, after
1970
Events
January
* January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC.
* January 5 – The 7.1 Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity of X (''Extreme''). Between 10,000 and ...
for
Fumihito Reimiya, and in
2011 for
His Imperial Highness His/Her Imperial Highness (abbreviation HIH) is a style used by members of an imperial family to denote ''imperial'' – as opposed to ''royal'' – status to show that the holder in question is descended from an emperor rather than a king ( ...
. This was the first time in 41 years. This is the first time in 41 years that the Fukasogi Ritual has been performed for the female members of the Imperial Family (the four Inner Princes and five Queens), so at least in the modern era, it is a ceremony performed only for the male members of the Imperial Family.
After the completion of the Ceremony of the Hakama and the Fukasogi Ritual, the three halls of the Imperial Palace are visited.
Adulthood Ceremony
The
Imperial Household Law
is a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.
In 2017, the National Diet changed the law ...
states that the age of majority for the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Grandchildren is 18 (Article 22). In the
Imperial Household Law
is a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.
In 2017, the National Diet changed the law ...
, the age of majority for the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Grandchildren is 18 (Article 22), and there are no age regulations for other members of the Imperial Family. However, according to the
Civil code, the ceremony is held when the person turns 20.
The Rite of Crowning
:: At the home of a male member of the Imperial Family who has reached the age of majority, the male member of the Imperial Family receives a crown from a messenger sent by the Emperor.
Crowning Ceremony
:: A male member of the Imperial Family who has reached the age of majority wears a white silk hakama over
Keteki-no-hou, the costume of a minor, and holds a
Scepter in his hand. On his head, he wears a
kuuchi kokusaku, the headgear of a minor, and is led by a leader into the hall of the
Tokyo Imperial Palace
The is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the where the Emperor has his living quarters, the where va ...
where the Emperor, Empress, and attendees are waiting. The crowning officer then removes the black belt and puts on a crown with a swallow-tailed tail, attaches a hanging cord to the crown, ties it at the chin, and cuts off both ends of the cord.
The crown is then tied at the chin, and the ends of the cord are cut off. Then, a male member of the Imperial Family who has reached the age of majority steps before the Emperor and Empress to express his gratitude and resolve. The ceremony ends with a word of thanks to his parents as well.
:: After this, the adult male members of the Imperial Family change into their adult attire of
Sueki-no-Hao and a crown with a hanging tail, and visit the three halls of the palace.
Asami no Ritual
:: A ceremony in which a person meets the Emperor and Empress for the first time after reaching the age of majority. The ceremony is held in Western attire. The ceremony ends with the sipping of the nine-year-old wine in turn and the eating of the ritual food with chopsticks.
:: After this,
Orders, decorations, and medals of Japan
The Japanese honours system is a system implemented for rewarding awards to Japanese and non-Japanese persons for their achievements and service to Japan.
Established during the 1870s shortly after the Meiji Restoration, it was modelled on ...
are given according to rank, and the coming-of-age ceremony ends. A short time after the ceremony, people visit mausoleums and shrines to report on their coming of age.
Marriage
![Emperor_Naruhito_and_Empress_Masako_in_formal_wedding_robes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Emperor_Naruhito_and_Empress_Masako_in_formal_wedding_robes.jpg)
The emperor's marriage is called a big wedding in the old Imperial Family Order, but as of 2019, it has never taken place, as no one has married since 1910, when this was established, after he ascended the throne.
"Nousai-no-gi"
This is a ceremony to mark the end of a marriage.
。The male side does it to the female side.
Rite of bestowal of medals and swords
This is a rite of bestowing medals and swords.
This ceremony takes place after the Rite of Acceptance.
Kokki-no-gi
: A messenger from the emperor's side informs the woman's side of the marriage date.
Ritual of gift-writing
: A ceremony in which engaged couples present each other with waka poems on the day before marriage.
Judai no Gi
: On the day of the marriage ceremony, a messenger is sent to the woman's side to welcome her.
The marriage ceremony
The
Wedding
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
is a ceremony in which a man and a woman pay their respects to the wise men in the three halls of the palace. It is also known as a
wedding ceremony
A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
in general.
For more information, see Crown Prince Tokujin and Masako Owada's Marriage Ritual.
Kashikokoro Koreiden Shinden ni Etsuru no Gi
: Female members of the Imperial Family who are to leave the Imperial Family through marriage do not perform the marriage ceremony in the Imperial Palace, but rather worship at the three halls of the Imperial Palace dressed in Kouchiki clothing and report to their ancestors and the gods that they are getting married.
[Noriko's "Asami-no-gigi" before her marriage, blessed by Their Majesties](_blank)
(October 2, 2014), Sankei News, viewed on March 12, 2016. The ceremony is not accompanied by the man to be married.
Chouken-no-gi
: A ceremony in which two people meet the Emperor and Empress for the first time as husband and wife. The men and women of the imperial family express their gratitude and aspirations to the emperor, and after receiving his blessing, they sip nine-year-old sake in turn and exchange a cup to solidify their relationship,
chopsticks up on the ceremonial food, and ends.
: The surrendering female members of the Imperial Family meet the Emperor and Empress alone and are similarly blessed, but it is a farewell cup,
[熟成古酒の歴史](_blank)
長期熟成酒研究会, accessed 2016-3-12. and subsequent Weddings and other events are held outside the imperial family.
[ ]
:
Nine-year-old sake was originally made with
Sake
Sake, also spelled saké ( ; also referred to as Japanese rice wine), is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indee ...
, which had been aged for nine years and turned amber, but after the Meiji era, aged old sake was eliminated and the juice of black beans boiled with sake and
Mirin
is a type of rice wine and a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. It is similar to sake but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation pro ...
was boiled down.
Kuzen-no-gi
This ceremony is held at home after the couple has returned home. Before the ceremonial meal, the queen and the royal family men, in that order, sip sake and share a cup to seal the marriage. After that, the ritual meal is served with chopsticks, and the ceremony ends.
Mikayo no Mochi no Gi
The Mikayo-no-Mochi-no-Gi is held in the bedroom to pray for the prosperity of one's descendants. Each of the four silver plates (three plates for non-Emperor and Crown Prince) is filled with the number of rice cakes (about the size of a Go stone) of the Queen's age, and the couple eats one from each plate. The rice cakes and plates are placed in an ebony box with mother-of-pearl inlays of
Barn swallow
The barn swallow (''Hirundo rustica'') is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. In fact, it appears to have the largest natural distribution of any of the world's passerines, ranging over 251 million square kilometres globally. ...
s and displayed in the bedroom for three days, and on the fourth day, they are buried in a direction that brings good luck.
On the fourth day, it is buried in an auspicious direction.
The
Wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...
is a feast held over several days. A
wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party usually held after the completion of a marriage ceremony as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple ''receive'' society, in the form of family and friends, for t ...
in general.
The Rite of Audience at the Shrine
Wedding reception
The couple reports their marriage to the
Ise Grand Shrine
The , located in Ise, Mie Prefecture of Japan, is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is a shrine complex composed of many Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and .
The Inner ...
in Ise,
Mie Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Mie Prefecture has a population of 1,781,948 () and has a geographic area of . Mie Prefecture is bordered by Gifu Prefecture to the north, Shiga Prefecture and Kyoto Prefectur ...
.
Enthronement
The Rite of Succession of the Sword and Seal
File:"Inheritance Ceremony of Kenji and others.jpg, Succession Ceremony of the Sword and Seal of the 125th Emperor Akihito
is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 7 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. He presided over the Heisei era, ''Heisei'' being an expression of achieving peace worldwide.
B ...
.
: Acts of State.
The Ceremony of the Sword and Seal Crossing
The first day of the ceremony was the first day of the
Kensho. In other words, at the same time as the First Day of the Sages' Palace Ritual, each male member of the Imperial Family, each
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a Minister of State is a Junior Minister of government, who is assigned to assist a specific Cabinet Minister. In ...
, the
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Speaker of the House of Councillors, and
Supreme Court. The Emperor wears his normal dress and is preceded by the Chief of Ceremonies and the
Director General of the Imperial Household Agency (Minister of the Imperial Household).
Rites of Asami after Accession
This is an act of state. The new emperor makes a statement for the first time (under the old Imperial Household Law, this was called the "Asami Ceremony after Accession to the Throne". (Under the old Imperial Household Law, it was called the "Post-Joining Ceremony.) The ceremony is held in the main hall (Matsunoma) of the palace, with the emperor in formal attire and the empress in
robe décolleté (middle-grade formal attire). For the first time since the accession to the throne, the emperor gives a morning visit to his subjects and presents them with the imperial message. This is followed by the Prime Minister's address (renamed the "Address of the People's Representative" in the 2019 Post-Accession Asami Ceremony).
The Rite of Dedication to the Sages
The first day's ceremony was held immediately after the accession.
The first day's ritual is held immediately after the accession to the throne, and the chief priest performs the
Norito
are liturgical texts or ritual incantations in Shinto, usually addressed to a given ''kami''.
History
The first written documentation of ''norito'' dates to 712 CE in the ''Kojiki'' and 720 CE in the '' Nihongi''.
The Engishiki, a compilatio ...
at the
Three Palace Sanctuaries
The are a group of structures in the precincts of the Tokyo Imperial Palace in Japan. They are used in imperial religious ceremonies, including weddings and enthronements.
The three sanctuaries are:
* ''Kashiko-dokoro'' (賢所) – the centra ...
and the Sages' Palace. The rituals of the second and third days are similar, but the ritual of the Imperial Bell and the performance of the Imperial Confession are not performed.
The ceremony of vassalage
The ceremony of descent to the vassalage before the Emperor, Empress and Dowager Empress.
: The imperial family members who are to descend to the vassalage attend the imperial palace and make their speeches before the Emperor and Empress, receiving the imperial message from the Emperor and the I-sensei from the Empress. The emperor and empress then present the imperial message and the I-i, respectively.
References
Works cited
*
* {{Cite book, last=塚田, first=義明, title=皇室の冠婚葬祭, publisher=
KKベストセラーズ, year=1993, isbn=4-584-00848-5
昭和天皇の崩御に伴う主な儀式・行事一覧天皇陛下の即位に伴う主な儀式・行事一覧
Shinto festivals
Japanese Imperial Rituals