Tag: sword

Sacred regalia and ascension (3)

May 1, 2019 / John D. / 0 Comments

This morning we enter a new historical period called Reiwa as Emperor Naruhito begins his reign. It’s a very different feel from the beginning of the Heisei Era in 1989, as there is no death preceding the ascension of the new emperor – for the first time in 200 years. The sense of change is enhanced by the attendance at this morning’s ritual by a woman. Though female members of the imperial family are not allowed to participate, those in attendance included a female member of the cabinet. – an historical first (see below). Just over five minutes for the whole ceremony, and not a single word spoken! Would that every Japanese ceremony were like that…

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Extract from Japan Times May 1, 2019

In a ceremony to be held Wednesday morning [May 1], the new emperor will inherit the regalia — as well as the state and privy seals — as proof of his accession to the throne.

Spot the lone female in attendance…

While it will be attended by male adults from the imperial family, the event will be off-limits to its female members, including the new empress, taking a page from the last inheritance ritual in 1989 when female members were similarly barred from attending. The existing law stipulates only males can accede to the throne.

The government, however, has decided to allow members of the Cabinet to attend the rite as observers regardless of sex, paving the way for its only female minister, Satsuki Katayama, to do so. After the inheritance is over, the new emperor is set to give his first public address.

The imperial succession will set in motion what is to become a yearlong celebration punctuated by a host of rituals at the palace, culminating in an enthronement ceremony on Oct. 22 and a great thanksgiving ceremony from Nov. 14 to 15.

At the latter event, the emperor “offers newly-harvested rice to the Imperial Ancestor and to the deities of heaven and earth,” giving “thanks and praying for peace and abundant harvests for the country and the people,” according to the Imperial Household.

Two of the three regalia are brought into the Pine Room and placed before the new emperor.

The emperor and heir apparent (Akishino, younger brother of Naruhito) symbolically receive the sacred regalia. Between them are the state and privy seals that are passed on to the new emperor.

The sword precedes the emperor and the magatama follows Emperor Naruhito out of the room. The clock shows 10.35 – just five minutes after the ascension ceremony began! (The big celebrations will take place in the autumn.) As on the previous day, the circular mirror representing the Sun Goddess stays in the sanctuary, to which the new emperor straightaway proceeded to announce his succession.

Sacred regalia and ascension (2)

April 30, 2019 / John D. / 0 Comments

Today Emperor Akihito officially abdicated, marking the last day of the Heisei era. In Shinto terms this meant that he reported his abdication to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu ōmikami, as the purported great ancestor of his lineage. Reporting events to ancestors is a major element in the Japanese cult of the dead, known as ancestor worship. For the occasion the emperor dresses up in the ceremonial robes of high priest and enters the sanctuary which houses a circular mirror representing the Sun Goddess.

In Shinto mythology Amaterasu presented the original (housed at Ise Shrine) to Ninigi no mikoto when he descended to earth, telling him that it contained her spirit, as if her reflection was seared into the polished bronze surface. At some stage a copy of this was made and housed in the imperial palace. As reported in the previous post, this never leaves the sanctuary. However, the other two elements in the three Sacred Regalia play a very prominent part in the ceremonies, as can be seen in the photos below.

Emperor on his way to report his abdication to the Sun Goddess, ancestor of his lineage (he’s the 125th of his line, though the first ten at least are improbable)

Emperor pays respects before entering the sanctuary

The 85 year old Akihito, having reported his abdication now looking ahead to retirement

Divested of his priestly attire, the emperor attends a civic ceremony at which he receives appreciation from the prime minister representing the nation, before delivering his final words of gratitude to the nation. Notice the two patterned cases to left and right of him, one containing the sword and the other the magatama jewel – pagan symbols from two thousand years ago.

Extract from May 1 edition of The Japan Times
Tuesday’s ceremony to mark the abdication was televised live nationwide, taking place in the Imperial Palace’s most prestigious chamber, known as the Pine Chamber — the “only hall in the Imperial Palace that has a wooden floor,” according to the Imperial Household Agency.

The ceremony involved two of the three sacred emblems of Japan’s imperial family — a sword and a jewel — being placed on a table by chamberlains, who also brought state and privy seals into the room.

Throughout the 10-minute ritual, Emperor Akihito went nowhere near touching any of the regalia — let alone handing them down to his son — reportedly to avoid the impression that he was actively declaring his intention to abdicate, a taboo gesture that could be interpreted as running counter to the Constitution, which strips the Emperor of any political power.

The rite was attended by about 300 participants, including imperial family members and heads of the legislature, the government and the judiciary, as well as state ministers and representatives from local municipalities.

Sacred regalia and ascension (1)

April 29, 2019 / John D. / 2 Comments

Pine room and a secret jewel: Japan’s abdication rituals

By Miwa Suzuki Apr. 28 Japan Today

Japan has waited more than two centuries for an emperor to abdicate, but the main ceremony to perform the ritual will take a mere 10 minutes.

The solemn rite will take place at precisely 5 p.m. on Tuesday [April 30] in the 370-square-meter Matsu-no-Ma (Room of Pine), considered the most elegant hall in the sumptuous imperial palace.

It is the only room with wooden floors — made from Japanese zelkova trees — rather than carpet, and the walls are covered with fabric featuring raised pine-leaf motifs.

Emperor Akihito will abdicate in the Room of Pine. Photo: POOL/AFP/File

The ceremony will be conducted in the presence of an ancient sword and jewel — part of the imperial regalia — considered crucial evidence of an emperor’s legitimacy. The sword and jewel will be brought in boxes into the room but a third element of the regalia, a sacred mirror, never leaves its sanctuary in the palace.

More than 300 people are expected to attend, including royals, government and parliament leaders, top judges, heads of local governments and their spouses. Around a dozen royals are due to be present.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will come forward and make a speech representing the people, before Akihito delivers his final official address as emperor. This is the last occasion the emperor will meet representatives of the people before he abdicates.

Technically, Akihito will remain emperor until the clock strikes midnight. Naruhito’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne on the stroke of midnight on May 1 marks the start of his new imperial era, named Reiwa or “beautiful harmony”, to replace his father’s Heisei.

The initial set of enthronement ceremonies takes place in the same Matsu-no-Ma at 10:30 a.m. on May 1 and are also very short. During the first ceremony, the new emperor will inherit the sword, the jewel and the royal seals. Again, the sacred mirror remains in the sanctuary but this time, an envoy is sent to offer a ritual prayer before it. This represents the emperor “inheriting” the mirror.

The emperor flanked by a boxed sword on one side, and a boxed magatama jewel on the other. The mirror stays in the imperial sanctuary.

The emperor does not speak in this 10-minute ceremony, which is off-limits to female royals. Shortly afterwards, at 11:10 a.m., Naruhito will take part in another ceremony in which he will give his first speech as emperor. Again, Abe will speak on behalf of the people.

The new emperor will greet well-wishers from a glass-covered balcony on May 4 but is then likely to keep a low profile until the autumn. On Oct 22, he will formally proclaim the enthronement with 2,500 participants from Japan and abroad in an official ceremony, followed by a motorcade through central Tokyo.

In these spring ceremonies, male royals are expected to wear Western-style coats and the women full-length dresses. They will don traditional palace costumes for the autumn ceremonies and rites.