Global InformationDaijosai information
 | This article may be a rough translation from Japanese. It may have been generated, in whole or in part, by a computer or by a translator without dual proficiency. (March 2023) |
| Daijosai 大嘗祭 | |
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  Top: Daijō-sai of Reiwa (Imperial Palace East Garden) Bottom: The Daijō-sai of Emperor Akihito in 1990 | |
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| Venue | Daijokyu (Sukiden, Yukiden, and Kairyuden) |
| Location(s) | Residence of the Emperor of Japan（Has changed over the ages, currently Tokyo Imperial Palace） |
| Country | Japan |
| Inaugurated | It is rooted in farming rituals, and its original form is thought to be from around the Yayoi period, and the current scale and style are from the era of Tenmu and Jito. Around (7th century) |
| Previous event | 2019 (2022) 14 and 15 November |
| Next event | Upon a new Emperor succeeding to the Chrysanthemum Throne |
| Attendance | Approximately 730 people in total |
| Activity | A ceremony in which the newly enthroned emperor makes an offering to the gods of new grain offered from the east and west of Japan, and eats it himself to pray for a bountiful harvest, peace of mind during his reign, and the well-being of the nation and its people, according to Shinto. |
| Patron(s) | Japanese government |
| Organised by | Imperial Household Agency |
| Website | 宮内庁 |
The Daijō-sai (大嘗祭) is a special religious service conducted in November after the enthronement, in which the Emperor of Japan gives thanks for peace of mind and a rich harvest to the solar deity Amaterasu (天照大神) and her associated deities, and pray for Japan and its citizens. From a Shinto viewpoint, the emperor is believed to be united with the deity Amaterasu in a unique way and share in her divinity. In general, the Daijosai is considered as a kind of thanksgiving harvest festival, in the same way as Niiname-sai (新嘗祭) is conducted annually on 23 November, a public holiday of Labor Thanksgiving Day. However, in the year the Daijō-sai is held, the Niiname-sai (新嘗祭) is not held.[1]
The emperor and empress both perform the Daijosai ceremony in November after ascending the throne in a partly televised ceremony and since 2019 it is a live-streamed event. It is only performed once during their reign. Akihito performed it in November 1990 and Naruhito on 14 November 2019. The emperor offers gifts such as rice, kelp, millet and abalone to the gods. Then he reads an appeal to the gods and eats the offering and prays. The emperor and empress perform the rites separately. It takes about 3 hours. Over 500 people are present including the Prime Minister, government officials, representatives of state and private sector firms, society groups and members of the press. It originates as a Shinto rite from at least the 7th century. It is held as a private event by the Imperial Household so that it does not violate the separation of church and state. A special complex with over 30 structures (大嘗宮, daijōkyū) is built for the event. Afterward, they are accessible to the public for a few weeks and then dismantled. In 1990, the ritual cost more than 2.7 billion yen ($24.7 million).[2]
The Daijosai is a highly secret ritual that very few people know the full details of, this has led to controversy with some claiming it violates Women's rights,[3] and Article 20 of the Japanese constitution, which separates religion from government.[4]
- ^ Tsunetada Mayumi [in Japanese] (2019). 大嘗祭 [Enthronement of the Japanese emperor]. Chikuma Shinsyo. Chikuma Shobō.
- ^ Yukihiro Enomoto. "Japan emperor performs centuries-old succession rite". Nikkei Asian Review. Archived from the original on 23 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Daijosai ritual: Why Japanese Emperor Naruhito spent a night with the sun goddess". The Indian Express. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ Jones, Colin P. A. (23 December 2019). "The Reiwa Daijosai: Pomp, circumstance and litigation". The Japan Times. Retrieved 24 April 2023.