The shrine of Daijosai



November 23rd is Labour Thanksgivings Day, a national holiday. However, from ancient times, the day has been the most important day when successive emperors have served much harvest, especially new rice, to the God Amaterasu-Ohmikami and prayed for peace in this country and the prosperity of Japanese people. In addition, each emperor has stayed with the god through the night. This ritual on November 23rd is called as Niinamesai.




Especially upon the changing of each emperor’s throne a new emperor has the Daijosai Ritual, which happens only one time during his reign. Scenes of which the present emperor did his rites in the Daijosai Ritual were broadcasted on TV news.



A wooden shrine of Daijosai was built in the Imperial Palace for the one time ritual. Nonetheless, the shrine is magnificent, so then honestly speaking, it is kind of “mottainai”. However, it is said that building and demolishing the shrine has been a custom since the Muromachi period.

On a rainy day



November 23rd this year was gloomy rain in Tokyo. But yet there were many people gathered in front of The Imperial Palace to see the shrine. I walked slowly among the lines which were made by crowded people and colorful umbrellas. Some of the people took short stops to take photographs here and there, and those actions often made the lines more slowly, and made colorful umbrellas sway, so then the lines might have been like a colorful-long-sash.




Inside of each person’s mind kept his pleasure to see the shrine with a kind of gloomy feeling in the rain and long walking. After marching slowly for approximately thirty minutes the view in front of our eyes suddenly opened widely and the shrine of Daijosai appeared in the gloomy light with rain. The shrine isn’t high, but yet the shrine had a kind of magnetism. The sash of people moved more slowly because all the people took photographs.

The atmosphere around the shrine

People swarmed and tried to go to the front guard-fences of the shrine in order to take photographs and the sash was broken naturally. Many policemen said; “don’t stay for a long time. Leave after taking some photographs and give your place to the next person.” Obeying the instruction of the policemen added more great confusion to the people because of the hindering umbrellas. I could barely take any photographs amidst the confusion.



The shrine was surrounded by thatched walls of grass. Despite the chaos of the people outside of the wall the shrine inside of the wall was quiet and calm. If today were fine, I could smell the woody aroma of the new shrine. But yet I felt the good air of the shrine. The air was clear and warm to me. It was nearly like around a good shrine, for example Ise Shrine.




The Daijosai Ritual is where a new emperor serves new food to the invisible God Amaterasu-Ominami, so then it is logically natural that the god dwells here. It was a pleasure to perceive the presence of the god.

What is the eternity for Japanese people?


In Tibetan Buddhism as soon as a great mandala of Buddhism, which many priests drew in detail on the ground by colorful sand for many days, is completed, it is used to be demolished quickly. The shrine of Daijosai may be similar to Tibetan Buddhism. In ancient eastern area there might have been similar thinking. Making is birth and demolishing is death. The birth and death, furthermore, the rebirth and death. Death isn’t the end of life but leads to rebirth. The repetition is charged with life. Ancient Japanese people might have felt the eternity to the repetition of rebirth and death, and that may be different from the eternity which western people have desired.


Rebirth and death is nature itself. After all, nature is eternity for Japanese people.

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