The Rites of Renewal at Ise

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The Rites of Renewal at Ise

by FELICIA G. BOCK

T . n HE TEMPLES of the Olympian gods lie in ruins, the shattered testimony of a glory now extinct and a faith now cold. But at Ise, the majestic forests shelter a cluster of unadorned wooden buildings which have been rebuilt every

twenty years since the end of the seventh century of our era. These small thatched buildings are outward proof of a tradition long reverenced and still flourishing. Just as the surrounding trees constantly put forth new green, so these sacred buildings are built anew in regular rhythm to symbolize the eternal regeneration of the spirit and the continuity ofthe nation's life. Here the worshiper may commune with the primeval ancestral spirit of the Yamato people, feel himself in harmony with his ancient heritage, and reverence the grandeur of the unspoilt natural setting. Here is no tomb housing the dead, but a vital force, a focal point of a nation devoted to perpetuating its valued traditions.

The Vicennial Cycle IN THE EARLIEST DAYS of erecting shrines' to the kami, the upright pillars of the building were planted directly into the earth. This is also true of the palace2 of the sovereign, although the pillars appear to have rested on some natural rock founda- tion, for in the text of the ancient rituals3 we find the statement, ' .... the columns of the divine palace are firmly set upon the bedrock beneath the land ... .'4 The palaces were constructed to last for the span of only one reign and, on the decease of the sovereign, they were burned in order to prevent any con- tamination from death. The earliest shrines, too, were temporary structures. They were set up for the celebration of a festival in honor of a deity and then they were demolished. But with the increase in the number of festivals at certain shrines, buildings were necessarily retained for a longer period. However, the custom of constructing temporary shrines has survived through the centuries in the case of

1 ra-shiro M (Ji:) 2 Mi-ya I& (') 3 Norito ATR3?G1 4 The same formula for a shrine, 'set firmly

on the bedrock beneath', is used in the norito for recital at the Shrine of the Great Deity and

the Toyouke Shrine at Ise; so also the norito of the Local Chieftain of Izumo in describing the Great Shrine of Izumo. See Felicia G. Bock, tr., Engi-Shiki, Books vI-x, Sophia University, 1972, pp. 68, 95 & 102.



56 Monumenta Nipponica, XXIX, 1

the Da"j'-ky 5, the temporary palace structures for celebrating the Great Feast of Enthronement6 once in the reign of each emperor.7

By the end of the seventh century, the notion of perpetuating the use of shrines dedicated to the kami took hold, and certain shrines which were linked to the Imperial House and to the Fujiwara House, in particular, were required to be rebuilt in entirety. Less important shrines were repaired or renovated as conditions demanded. On account of planting the uprights directly into the soil and of the moisture often to be found in the sacred groves, wooden buildings were apt to deteriorate in a short time. Damage due to typhoons or fires also necessitated repairs or rebuilding from time to time. Nothing old, rotted, or shabby was suit- able for the place in which the kami were enshrined.

According to tradition, Empress Jitb8 first issued the order to rebuild the Shrine to the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu-omikami,9 in the province of Ise, once every twenty years. The Nihongi10 does not provide this information, but an old text, Daijingu shozojiki,11 purporting to be a record of the Grand Shrine of Ise from its founding in the reign of Emperor Suinin12 up to the year 1069 A.D., makes a reference to such an order issued by Empress Jita in 689. The first officially re- corded rebuilding took place in 785 and is mentioned in the Ceremonial Record of the Grand Shrine,13 completed in 804, and this reference has made possible the compilation of dates for the twenty-year renewal of the Grand Shrine. Evidence contained in the Daijingi shozj jiki indicates that the first rebuilding of the Inner Shrine, or naik$,' took place in 690, while that of the geka,15 the Outer Shrine dedicated to the Food Goddess, Toyouke-no-akami,16 was in 692. There- after the rebuildings took place in 709, 729,747, 785, and so on.17

The ]\fihongi records the visit of Empress Jita to Ise Province in 694, her stay in the temporary Palace of Agol8 in the vicinity, and her commuting taxes and forced labor for that year in the provinces of Iga, Ise, and Shima. Through the reigns of Emperor Temmu19 and Empress Jita, the Grand Shrine of Ise rose to importance

5 it 6 Daij5-sai AS- 7 Robert S. Ellwood, The Feast of Kingship,

Sophia University, 1973, p. 148; Kenzo Tange & Noboru Kawazoe, Ise, Prototype of Japanese Architecture, M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1965, p. 176; Bock, Engi-Shiki, p. 56.

8 0,:F, r. 687-96.

10 $Z .11 ..

12 , r. 31-70. 13 Kotaijingu7 Gishikicho 5 tA 14 TN 15 3, 16 17 Scholars disagree as to whether regulations

concerning ceremonies and rebuilding of the Ise Shrine were drawn up in the reign of Tem- mu, orJit6, or Mommu, as written orders of the time do not survive. However, the Kotaijingui GishikichJ leaves no doubt as to the existence of regulations for the vicennial renewal of the Shrines. Other great shrines for which rebuilding every twenty years was ordered were the Kashima (Hitachi province), Katori (Shim6sa), and Sumiyoshi (Settsu). The Engi-Shiki, Book iv, verifies the regulations for the Ise Shrines, and Book in for the others-Felicia G. Bock, tr., Engi-Shiki, Books i-v, Sophia University, 1970, pp. 117 & 133.

18 MC 19 X r. 673-86.



Bock: The Rites of Renewal at Ise 57

as the ancestral clan shrine of the Imperial House, and it appears to have been privately supported by the court. Later, during the Nara and Heian periods, the Grand Shrine gradually took on the character of a national shrine and enjoyed more widespread support.20

A further reason for the twenty-year interval for rebuilding the shrines was the need to meet the requirements of making afresh the material objects and ceremonial articles dedicated to the kami and enshrined in the new buildings. In those days a generation was only twenty years, and the knowledge of architecture, as well as of the techniques of metal work, dyeing, weaving, lacquering, sword making, and a host of other crafts, had to be passed down from one generation to the next. The same situation holds true today. The span of a generation may be longer, but traditional artisans and craftsmen are disappearing, and successors are not easy to find. For example, the fashioning of the hirao,21 a hand-dyed and exquisitely woven bandolier for the sacred sword, is done by a weaving process introduced from China and handed down through the centuries to one surviving weaver, Mr Fukami, an elderly gentleman with no apprentice. Another vanishing art is the manufacture of kuzubako,22 a container woven of kuZu vine, traditionally a folkcraft of Minaguchi in Shiga prefecture but now no longer practiced there.23

Preparations for the 1973 Removal Rites

THUS, STARTING probably in 689-90, the Grand Shrine of Ise complex has been rebuilt, with few exceptions, every twenty years, although the operation has been postponed several times on account of wars. The longest lapse occurred during the sixteenth century, and when Oda Nobunaga finally restored order to the Ise region, he donated a large sum of money toward the expenses incurred in the reconstruction of the Outer Shrine. By the time the Inner Shrine was rebuilt, there had been a lapse of over a century in the renewal rites. The most recent extended interval was between the 1929 ceremonies and the post-war rebuilding in 1953. This rebuilding in 1953 marked a historic recovery, since the Occupation authorities had decreed separation of all shrines from the state and had deprived them of official support. Most of the funds for this rebuilding came from individual donations made by some ten million people. In this connection, it may be noted that two and a half million people visited the Ise shrines in the following year of 1954, while today annual visitors number more than six million.

The reconstruction of the shrine buildings and the remaking of their treasures and furnishings for last year's ceremonies reached a cost almost beyond imagination. Acquiring the great timbers (the 1953 rebuilding used 16,000 large cypress

20 Fujitani Toshio WGWkt & Naoki Kojir6 it7k**:)ZA5, Ise Jinga W*T-9. San-ichi Shobo, Tokyo, 1960, p. 37.

21 2a

22 Ag 23 Sakurai Katsunoshin , Ise Jingiu,

Gakusei-sha, Tokyo, 1969, p. 191.



58 Monumenta Nipponica, xxix, 1

timbers), the precious metals, and copper, iron, and tin, as well as thousands of yards of silk and other textiles, not to mention the carpentry and the manufacture of the items, must have raised doubts whether sacrifices or omissions would have to be made either because of the great cost involved or because of the scarcity of skilled craftsmen. But the years of preparation have also witnessed a steady increase in the number of worshipers visiting Ise, while contributions in labor and money have multiplied. The preparations for the 1953 ceremonies were spread over ten years; for last year's sengii24 rites, preparations began in 1965, eight years beforehand. In 1966, and in each succeeding year, the Emperor and Empress contributed from their private purse toward the rebuilding expenses, making an especially large donation in 1972.25 This benefaction, and the cumulative contributions of worshipers and the fund-raising campaign of the support society, the Ise Jingu Sfikei-kai,26 have raised a sum which is reckoned in billions of yen. One published account mentioned a figure of Y4,500 million.

The buildings that are rebuilt include not only the naiku and geku but also the ten auxiliary, separate shrines of the Sun Goddess and the four auxiliary ones of the Food Goddess, making a total of sixteen shrines, some consisting of several buildings. The whole Ise complex, including the smaller sessha, massha, and shokansha27 scattered throughout the area, totals more than one hundred shrines. The separate shrines28 rebuilt at this time also require fittings, furnishings, and ceremonial articles to be newly made. The years of building and of remaking treasures were climaxed in the Shrine Removal Ceremony held at the naiku on 2 October last year and at the geku on 5 October. The ceremony was performed at the lesser shrines on subsequent dates.

Activities in anticipation of the vicennial event began in 1965. The first of a series of thirty-two special festivals and ceremonies were then held, when the ramaguchi-sai and Konomoto-sai29 festivals took place in the remote forests of the Kiso mountains prior to cutting the first timbers. The lamaguchi-sai is a service of prayer to the kami of the entrances to the mountains30 where the cutting is to be done, and was held on 2 May. At the Konomoto-sai prayers were offered to the kami inhabiting the trees which were to be ceremoniously felled for use in building the shrines. In June of the same year, the Misomahajime-sai3l was celebrated to mark the beginning of the timbering. The huge Japanese cypresses32 were then cut by hand by workmen dressed in white and using purified ceremonial axes and saws of ancient style. In June and September, services of consecration were held before the cutting of the wood to be used for the containers33 holding the sacred symbols as they were transferred to the new sanctuary.

24 .4 25 TokugawaMuneyoshi, f1I-)) ,in Mizu-

gaki SE, No. 97, January 1973, p. 1. 26 4*jt,t 27 Bekk, U, pi 28 Bekka SI1]9

29 j. T] 7 2 30 rama-no-kuchi b o) V 31 'p&A 7 32 Hinoki * 33 Mihishiro MMA and mifunashiro OPAIV1




In the following year, 1966, the first log-pulling ceremony34 took place when timbers that had been transported by truck to Ise City were hauled through the town to the shrines by ropes pulled by hundreds of volunteers dressed in white. Then came the festival of Commencement of Carpentering,35 followed by the ceremony36 in which the local people hauled the wood to each of the building sites. In July there was a special ceremony for cutting, with consecrated ax, the timber assigned for constructing the temporary boxes and chests to be used in the trans- ferral rites. Then, in April 1968, according to ancient custom, the Festival of Pacification of the Ground37 was held, and prayers were offered asking for the protection of the kami of the site on which each new building was to be raised. Each of these sites was an empty, identical area immediately adjacent to the exist- ing building. These sites have alternated through the centuries as the seat of the respective kami. Specifications for the architecture were first laid down in the KItaijingi Gishikicho of 804, and again in more detail in the Engi-shiki38 of 927.

Another structure that is completely rebuilt is the Ujibashi,39 the bridge over the River Isuzu40 on the main route to the Inner Shrine. The bridge is about 270 feet long and 24 feet wide, and rests on 36 supports made of zelkova4l wood. Large wooden torii stand at each end of the bridge, and these are also renewed. Construction of the new bridge took place in 1968-9 and culminated in a colorful dedication rite on 2 November 1969. This Ujibashi-watari-zome-shiki42 was the occasion for groups of the faithful from all over the country to come to Ise and cross over the new bridge for the first time.

The actual construction of the new naikiu and geki buildings was started early in 1972, and in March of that year the Pillar Setting Festival43 was held for each shrine. Then followed the festival for applying the small gilded metal bosses on the ends of the rafters under the gables of the two sanctuaries, and next came the ceremony44 of raising the roof beam. The month of May saw the festival for com- mencing the thatching of the new roofs with miscanthus.45 A bird's-eye view of the precincts of the naiku shows that, in addition to the main sanctuary,46 there are east and west treasure houses, theyo-joden47 (for ceremonies during rain), and the covered gates of the four concentric fences, and all of these had to be thatched with new miscanthus reeds. This does not include the required thatching of the buildings and gates of the geki and of the fourteen other shrines. Upon completion

34 Oki-hikizome-shiki OP *A Iv 35 Kozukuri-hajime-sai *;*.S 36 Okihiki-gyUji OV*Alt* 37 Chinchi-sai $jM% 38 jL 39 tm* 40 +JSII

41 Keyaki i 42 t* 43 Ritchu7-sai ffi 44 Joto-sai -L*OMi> 45 Kaya X 46 Mi-shlden 1PiE) 47 tR




of the thatching, there was celebrated in August the festival48 for placing the metal fittings on the crossed gable-boards,49 on the cross-logs athwart the ridge,50 and on the railings of the sanctuaries built in raised-floor, 'granary-type', shrine style. Metal was used for the nails, bosses, plates, clamps, locks, keys, and door trimmings. The details of these fittings may be found in the Engi-shiki, and they appear to have been augmented during the Nara period or in the beginning of the Heian period. The list of Deity Treasures5l is also given in the Engi-shiki, Book IV.52

Even today the list of materials required is very little changed. The treasures and articles to be made anew for the various shrines comes to a total of about two thousand items. There are 60 ceremonial swords and 31 mirrors, while the silk required for curtains, drapes, quilts, bedding, garments, and wrappings, totals about 900 meters. The pure gold used today is limited to 3.75 kilos, and lacquer to 262 kilos. The mirrors are chiefly of antique Chinese design, and are copies of Han mirrors of bronze imported in the proto-historic age; some are gilded on the back. All are wrapped in silk and placed in lacquer boxes with silver inlay or other surface design. Besides the silken garments, quilts, and bedding offered to the deities, there are pairs of brocade shoes and silken socks placed in the ceremonial boxes.53

For the Sun Goddess, there is the miniature sacred loom, and the bronze thread- boxes, spindles, and reels to go with it. A gilt-bronze brazier and charcoal utensils are among the treasures for the Izanami shrine,54 an auxiliary of the naiku; two miniature caparisoned horses55 are made for the Tsukiyomi and Takihara shrines.56 For the use of goddesses, there are sets of boxwood combs, placed in silken bags and especially-made boxes. In addition to the ritual swords, there are also ceremonial bows, thousands of arrows, quivers of various styles, shields, spears, and leather wrist-guards. The last-mentioned articles, called tomo,57 have the three-comma design58 on the side, and are placed in a brocade bag with silk cord drawstrings. The banners or pennants attached to the ceremonial spears also bear the same design.

The most ornate sword has a gold scabbard encrusted with gems; other swords have some gold or silver ornamentation, and some are encased in black lacquer scabbards. In other articles, mother-of-pearl inlay is used, and the beads and gems

48 Iraka-sai Vrt 49 Chigi +* 50 Katsuogi $XO (, 0) 51 Go-shimp3 iOPTA1 52 Bock, Engi-Shiki, i-v, p. 139. 53 ranaibako W9P; 54

55 The Engi-Shiki stipulated, 'At all times, for each of the two Great Shrines, two august horses are to be fed and stabled. They are

chosen from among the horses presented as offerings.... ' Even today there is a stable at the naiku- where two sacred horses are kept. They are never ridden as they are sacred to the deities, but they are regularly exercised and promenaded on festal occasions. See Bock, Engi-Shiki, i-v, p. 144.

56 57E 58 Mitsu-domoe E




include pearls, amber, agate, and crystal. Cinnabar, lampblack, and other pig- ments and dyes are also employed. The ceremonial weapons are made of a variety of woods, and the quivers are constructed of bulrushes, leather, and so on. The skin of bear, deer, and cow is used, as well as the feathers of crow, swan, and eagle. The feathers of the crested ibis59 were formerly used for decoration, but conservation laws now protect this bird. Musical instruments include two zithers of unique design, known as wa-gon or Japanese koto.

In August of last year the white pebbles for the ground of the new shrines were brought to the site, with people from all parts of the country participating in the ceremony. The pebbles, averaging about 7 cm in diameter, were carried in tubs piled on top of wagons, and these were pulled by a long, double line of worshipers. The procession passed through the town of Ujiyamada60 and finally reached the site of the new naiku. The persons who helped to transport and spread out these pebbles enjoyed the privilege of entering the new sacred precincts, where no-one is allowed once the sengu rite has taken place.61

By September the new buildings were completely finished, and ritual cleansing and washing62 were performed. Then came the ceremonial placing of the 'august central pillar'63 beneath the center of each of the main sanctuaries. This esoteric rite took place during the dark of night on 25 September at the naikiu and two nights later at the gek&. The central pillar was placed in a container called mifunashiro,64 'august boat shape', a box about 7 ft in length. Only the priests are allowed to place the pillar under the place in the sanctuary where the sacred container65 holding the august mirror66-the symbol of the Sun Goddess-is kept. This unique procedure is the survival of an archaic rite concerning a sanctified article associated with the origin of the shrine, while the august boat shape is testimony to the ancient belief that the kami descend by boat-or in this case, that the Sun Goddess arrived by boat when she came to the Province of Ise.

In the final days of September the service to celebrate the completion of con- struction67 was held at both the naiku and gekz. For this ceremony, the Superin- tendent of the Shrines68 and sixty shrine priests congregated beneath the main sanctuary to perform the rite of strengthening the main central pillar. They were dressed in sacerdotal white, and carrying long white staffs, they sat at a ritual feast, then made obeisance to the old sanctuary before proceeding to the new. There, underneath the raised floor, they circumambulated the central pillar, striking it with their staffs and singing:

59 Toki A 60 @, f 61 The pebbles were obtained during 1972

from the Fujigawa and were presented by the people of Shibakawa-machi, Shizuoka prefecture (Mizugaki, No. 94, March 1972, p. 10).

62 Arai-kiyome ,*

63 Shin-no-mihashira r4.p* i 64 apf 65 MihiShiro opkfi-) 66 rata-no-kagami ;\J 67 Kotsuki-sai t 68 Daig27ji kg E1




The hallowed and revered August dwelling of Isuzu Is now built up, Built up. May the country flourish! May the district flourish! For ever and aye, For ever and aye!

Kashikoshiya Isuzu-no-miya no Kotsuki-shite-keri Kotsuki-shite-keri Kuni zo sakayuru Kiri zo sakayuru rorozuyo made ni rorozuyo made ni

At the inner sanctum Of Amaterasu, Let us worship In this fashion, Let us worship In this fashion, For ever and aye, For ever and aye.

Amaterasu Omiya-dokoro Kakushitsutsu Tsukaematsuran Kakushitsutsu Tsukaematsuran Yorozuyo made ni Yorozuyo made ni

On the following day the same ceremony was held at the geki, with the words, 'Watarai no Toyouke no miya', substituted in the first verse.69

On 1 October, after the service of prayer70 to the kami inhabiting the sites on which the new buildings had been completed, there took place a sort of roll call, or inventory, of all the ceremonial articles and treasures when the official in charge (shimpJzukai)71 turns them over to the Mistress of Ceremonies. This is a time-consuming procedure, for the collating of the list with the items contained in the ceremonial white chests must be carefully performed. The total number of ceremonial articles for the naiku is 343 items, and for the geki, 141 items; divine treasures for the naikiu number 199, and for the geku, 55. In addition to all these items, there are also the articles destined for the newly-built auxiliary shrines. Ceremonies for transferring the articles to these smaller shrines started on 10 October and continue into the present year. A grand purification ceremony is held for the items to be placed in the two main shrines, at which time the priests perform exorcism rites to cleanse the boxes and the sacred objects inside them from all impurity.

69 A description of this ceremony and the words of the sacred chant are given in Jingfi Shich6 TiT1' .] E, Jingii Hoshi no Dento i t *TJE Og, Ise Shi, 1965, p. 25; Sakurai, Ise Jingiu,

pp. 183-84; Mainichi Graphic *FL El y 7, 21 October 1973, p. 29.

70 Gochin-sai AV 71 TT



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Mainichi Graphic

The August Mirror, the shintai of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu-omikami, is solemnly transferred to the newly built Inner Shrine in the evening of z October 1973.

Mainichi Graphic

Acting Mistress of Ceremonies Takatsukasa Kazuko returning from a performance of kagura at the new Inner Shrine on the evening of 3 October 1973. This ceremony brought to an end the vicennial sengul rites of the Inner Shrine.




The Transfer Ceremonies THE SIXTIETH sengiu ceremonies of the Grand Shrine culminated in the transferring (sengvo)72 of the most sacred objects from the old sanctuary to the new; this was held on 2 October last year at the naiku, and on 5 October at the geku. Tuesday, 2 October, dawned bright and fair, although it had rained during the two previous days in the Ise region. The air was pleasantly warm at midday as worshipers from all over the country began to converge on Ujiyamada to make their way to the Grand Shrine. If the crowd looked well dressed, it was because these people were benefactors of the Grand Shrine, either by contributions or services, and had received formal invitations to the event. Along with the invitation had come instructions regarding deportment and dress-gentlemen had to wear a morning coat, while, in the case of ladies, a formal kimono or Western dress was required.

After resting and sipping tea in a residence whose garden overlooked the Isuzu, our party put the finishing touches to their formal dress and then passed through the torii and onto the Ujibashi. From the reception tents we proceeded to the mitarashi,73 or pavilion for purifying mouth and hands with water. Water from the pure stream of Isuzu is piped here, but those who so wish may go a few steps further and wash in the river as in olden times. After passing through the second and third torii along the path to the main sanctuary, we reached the huge wooden platform built for the occasion to seat some three thousand or more invited guests.74 The platform could be described as a grandstand and was located along the path that leads past the stone stairway to the site of the new shrine (the nearer site) and on to the stairway of the former shrine (the further site). The platform had been built to preserve the trees growing there, and it was divided into sections by rustic railing, with thin matting spread over the bare boards.

At 4.00 P.M. the preliminaries commenced. Various priests clothed in white moved back and forth. Starting at the very end of the grandstand toward the old sanctuary, shrine priests performed the cleansing of the multitude of visitors by the ceremony of o-harai.75 Junior priests carrying lighted white lanterns escorted functionaries robed in the formal attire76 of the Heian period and wearing black eboshi77 headgear. Most of them wore black skirts, although some wore crimson. The procession filed up to the itatamagaki,78 or board fence, one of the four concentric fences surrounding the old sanctuary, and special prayers were offered to

72 *p 73 ip -

74 Newspaper reports gave figures varying from three to above five thousand. The number of invitations issued certainly exceeded the number of people able to attend, for with the invitation was enclosed a copy of regulations as to those who may not attend-i.e., whose who

had had a death in the family within a certain period of time; the period of time varied with the proximity of relationship. Thus survive the ancient rules concerning ceremonial defilement.

75 4pw 76 Sokutai J; 77 ft 78 ;Si.;



64 Monumenta fipponica, XXIX, 1

the Sun Goddess. The representative of the Imperial Family, Prince Hitachi,79 dressed in morning coat, came with his attendants, and made his obeisance before the old sanctuary of Amaterasu-omikami.

Then, in the gathering darkness, fires80 were lighted at the foot of each stairway leading to the old and new shrines. At 6.00 P.M., the sound of drum beats heralded the beginning of the grand procession. The first ceremony consisted of distributing symbolic offerings81 to all the principal participants. In order of their appearance in the cortege, these were the Imperial Messenger, Nagatsumi Torahiko,82 dressed in ancient court attire; Prince Hitachi, son of the Emperor; Princess Kazuko, temporary Mistress of Ceremonies,83 robed in Heian costume of crimson robes with a pure white overgarment, and wearing the sacred bark-cloth fillet84 on her head, and carrying a ceremonial fan. Then followed the Superintendent of the Grand Shrine, Tokugawa Muneyoshi;85 the Assistant Superintendent, and about ten high priests86 of the shrines. All these dignitaries received symbolic offerings -four small branches of decorated sakaki, here calledfuto-tamagushi,87 which they held in their hands as they processed in a single file.

The beat of their lacquered wooden shoes on the gravel path made an impres- sive rhythmic accompaniment to the long procession. Following the principals came a continuous line of junior priests and officials, also robed in colorful ceremonial dress and black lacquered headgear. Attendants lighted pine torches and white lanterns to illuminate the pathway for the hundred and sixty participants as they processed up to the inner sanctum of the old shrine.

The waiting period during which the participants were within the sacred enclosure seemed interminable. During this time, the Imperial Messenger was offer- ing the Emperor's prayer to the Sun Goddess, beseeching her to move to the newly erected sanctuary that had been prepared and furnished for her. Then the door of the sanctuary was opened by two high-priests and the Mistress of Ceremonies entered, followed by ten high-priests to prepare the transfer of the sacred sym- bol88 of the goddess from the old sanctuary to the new.

79 80 Niwabi J-; 81 O-nusa AkOt (i)~ , ik) 82 Chokushi VA; AOC9 83 Rinji-saishu P.*X P . In private life, Mrs

Takatsukasa Kazuko 2 ElvTa, the third daughter of the Emperor. She serves in place of Princess Kitashirakawa Fusako ib 11$'-, seventh daughter of the Emperor Meiji.

84 ruukazura t 85 IM I I 86 Negi a 87 i 88 The Sacred Mirror. A mirror in ancient

times was known to possess magical powers-it

could produce light by reflecting the sun; it was a sun image; it was a protective device to keep away evil spirits; it reveals in its disc persons or spirits of the dead; it could draw the soul out of the body. The ruler in ancient times con- ferred a mirror upon a local chief as emblem of authority, and this was later buried with the chief. Further details are given in D.C. Holtom, The Japanese Enthronement Ceremonies, 2nd ed., Sophia University, 1972, Chapter ii, 'The Mirror', pp. 7-17, on the last page of which Holtom notes: 'The mirror has ever remained enshrined in the Holy of Holies of the Daijingfu of Ise as the most sacred material object of all Japan.'




Finally, at the stroke of eight o'clock, all outside lighting, lanterns, and torches were extinguished. The darkness was complete except for the small flicker of the bonfire at the foot of each stairway. Absolute stillness fell upon the crowd of on- lookers. After a few moments the silence was broken by the faint note of the flutes, whose plaintive two-note melody (a very slow do .... re .... repeated over and over to the rhythm of the marching) was the only audible accompaniment. While the officiating participants were within the sanctuary, attendants had carpeted the route by spreading a cloth runner along the entire length of the path from the old sanctuary to the steps of the new. Pine torches suddenly lighted up this path as the dignitaries emerged from the old gate and the procession of priests bearing the sacred symbol and the treasures came forth.

The sacred mirror in its wrapping and container was borne by twelve priests who were completely enveloped in a silk canopy89 so that the sacred symbol was not exposed to vulgar gaze. This white canopy was carried by another twenty priests. Preceding this part of the procession were priests carrying the sacred silk umbrella and the long-handled silken screens.90 As this most solemn part of the procession passed, the stillness was broken as many of the faithful reverently clapped their hands while they bowed their heads to acknowledge the presence of divinity.

After the white-curtained enclosure were carried the other treasures-the sedge umbrella, shields, spears with their banners, bows, arrows, and quivers. Soon, all these slowly disappeared into the night. In the dim and flickering light the bearers transferred the sacred mirror and other treasures into the new sanctuary. When the last of the long procession had passed into the gateway of the new shrine, the lights were turned on and tension relaxed among the audience.

In the mysterious half-light at Ise, it was impossible for the observer to dis- tinguish all the elements of the procession, but the published list of persons and treasures provides detailed information on the order observed.

Vanguards with pine torches Shrine marshals Lantern bearers August shields of wood August spears with silk banners Quivers woven from bulrushes Ceremonial bows made of catalpa wood Long-handled screens of sedge Long-handled screens of purple silk gauze August sword sheathed in gilded bronze, wrapped in white silk August sword with jewel-encrusted gilded scabbard, likewise wrapped

89 Kjshou J 90 Sashiba f



66 Monumenta Nfipponica, XXIX, 1

August sword with ornamented and gilded scabbard, likewise wrapped August umbrella of red-violet figured silk Eight musicians with ancient instruments A marshal The Imperial Messenger The sacred moving curtain The sacred enclosure with twelve priests inside bearing the container

enclosing the August Mirror and the sacred symbols of the two other deities enshrined in the naiku; all this is escorted by twenty priests.

Rear guards August umbrellas of red-violet silk The Mistress of Ceremonies The august umbrella woven of sedge Catalpa bows Leather quivers August spears and shields, and torches Marshals of the Shrine Presenters of sacred offerings The representative of the Imperial Family More than one hundred participating priests and shrine officials.

In the meantime, in the Imperial Palace at the capital, the Emperor had been worshiping in the sanctuary9l dedicated to Amaterasu-omikami. In formal attire, he made obeisances and prayed for the safe transfer of the Goddess' symbol to the new shrine. His example was followed all over the country by the faithful bowing toward the Grand Shrine of Ise. On the following days, they would flock to the Ise shrines in their thousands.

IT MAY BE WONDERED why, if Ise is an imperial shrine dedicated to the progenitor of the imperial line, the Emperor does not personally go to worship there. Through the ages there have been very few instances of an emperor or empress making a personal visit to Ise. In the early period of the shrine, tradition dictated that the worship of the ancestral deities was carried out by a virgin daughter of the emperor at a shrine set apart from the Imperial Palace. The Emperor Sujin92 ordered his daughter, Princess Toyosuki-iribime,93 to worship the ancestral deities at another village. Wishing to establish a separate shrine, Emperor Suinin sent his daughter, Princess Yamato-hime,94 with the sacred mirror and sword, and she founded a shrine for them on the River Isuzu.

Succeeding sovereigns sent daughters as their personal representatives to serve

91 Naishi-dokoro M44K 92 3P, r. 97-30 B.C.

93 X Xt 94




as Consecrated Imperial Princess95 at the shrine of the Sun Goddess. During the Nara period, worship and festivals at Ise became more national in character, but emperors continued the custom of having a princess to represent them in the various ceremonies. This continued until the reign of Emperor Go-Daigo,96 but after 1333 the practice was discontinued. During the Tokugawa period, Ise became a popular place of pilgrimage for high and low alike. Contemporary prints, paintings, and literature feature the Ise-mairi,97 and it became the ambi- tion of everybody to undertake the journey at least once in a lifetime.

After the Restoration, the Emperor Meiji visited the Ise shrines, and in early Meiji an attempt was made to restore the old religious customs of the Heian period. The practice of sending a representative from the court to assist in the major ceremonies at the shrines was revived. But these revival attempts were not altogether successful. In more recent times, however, the seventh daughter of the Emperor Meiji, Princess Kitashirakawa Fusako, was appointed Mistress of Cere- monies to the Ise shrines, and actively participated during the 1953 transfer rites. She still holds the office, although inactively. There is some resemblance between this role and that of the Consecrated Imperial Princess of the earlier centuries, although it is a survival in only a limited form. Finally, the Heir Apparent visits the Grand Shrine after his investiture and also on some other occasions.

A few other points are often raised in connection with the sengui ceremonies. At this stage it would appear that the staggering cost of the sixtieth renewal of the shrines will be met by the gifts from the faithful, but it may be wondered whether the ceremony can be repeated in its entirety in 1993. It may become necessary to omit the remaking of some of the items and perhaps the number of duplicated buildings could be reduced. It may also be possible to postpone the rebuilding for several years, or to substitute construction materials that would last longer. How- ever, all this remains very much a question for the future.

It may also be queried why the sengui ceremonies, a rite of renewal and regeneration, are not held in the spring, the season of rebirth. The answer is to be found in the Engi-shiki, for the celebration of the completion of the new buildings coin- cided with the fall festival of thanksgiving, the Kanname-sai,98 at which the first fruits of the harvest were offered to Amaterasu-omikami and to the Food Goddess. According to the text of this ancient record, when the time comes round for the Shrine of the Great Deity to be rebuilt, '. . . with the onset of winter, they com- mence the construction of the seven buildings of the Shrine of the Great Deity and the twelve small shrines ...' Winter started with the tenth moon, so this allowed nearly eleven months for the rebuilding work. Spring began with the first month of the new year. But in the mild climate of the Ise region, the winter is not severe, nor is the spring the great drama of nature unfolding as it is in colder countries.

95 Itsuki-no-miya 11 96 ARWR Afi, r. 1319-38.

97 ,*. 98 f



68 Monumenta N/ipponica, XXIX, 1

Finally, what becomes of the old buildings, gates, fences, torii, sacred treasures, and the countless ceremonial articles after the removal of the deities and freshly- made furnishings and items to the new shrine buildings has been accomplished? There are various answers to this question. In the Heian period, the usable wood from the buildings was given to other shrines for use in repair work. Furnishings and ceremonial articles were likewise bestowed on other shrines, or distributed among the priests and officials of Ise. Traditionally, the divine treasures were buried in the ground. In recent years, however, some of these have been exhumed and are exhibited in the Chokokan Museum99 at Ise, along with other treasures dating from the Heian, Muromachi, and Meiji periods. Swords have been given to the Imperial Palace and to other shrines. Regrettably, in times of warfare through the centuries, treasures have been lost, stolen, or destroyed. The most recent plundering was allegedly done by Occupation forces after World War II.

On the more positive side, the regulation requiring that these rare treasures be renewed every twenty years has insured the survival of unique dyeing and weaving arts, as well as metal, leather, and lacquer crafts, which otherwise might have perished long ago. Many of these choice items are displayed in museums or special exhibitions so that the public may have a chance of seeing articles that are ordinarily kept from view.

WHAT IS IT that captivates the soul and imagination at Ise? Why is it different from any other shrine? The exquisite natural setting, the awesome majesty of the towering trees, the simplicity of the pure Shinto architecture-all this exists in other places as well. Yet here there is something more. In this tranquil forest, the multitudes come without display and pay their respects in unending succession. Here one can gain a feeling of identity with the ages, the sense of history, the continuity of the life of a whole people. To this hallowed spot anyone can come- high-born or low, old or young, native and even foreign-to participate in the ritual of the renewal of the spirit. The renewal of life itself is symbolized by the rebuilding and rededication of the Ise shrines and their sacred treasures.

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Documents

The Rites of Renewal at Ise