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2033 Shikinen Sengū

Misomayamahajimesai

The Misomahajimesai (御杣始祭), an early ceremony of the Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) of Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮), was held on June 3rd, and reported in the 16th June issue of Jinja Shinpō (神社新報). This event marks the beginning of the process of harvesting timber for the Sengū, and took place in Kisodani National Forest (木曽谷国有林) in Nagano Prefecture. I wrote about these forests a few weeks ago. The matsuri was first held in its present form in 1902, in preparation for the 1909 Shikinen Sengū. (The 1953 Sengū was originally scheduled for… Read More »Misomayamahajimesai

Forests for Jingū

The Spring 2025 issue of The Imperial Family (皇室) had a substantial article on the forests from which the wood for the Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) at Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮) will be harvested. There will be a lot of articles in this magazine on the process, and they come with colour photographs. (On the other hand, most of the magazine is about, well, the Imperial Family. But if you are in Japan and want to get a subscription, they will be delighted — Jinja Honchō (神社本庁) often talks about the need… Read More »Forests for Jingū

Yamaguchisai and Konomotosai

On May 2nd, the first two major matsuri of the 63rd Shikinen Sengū were held: the Yamaguchisai and the Konomotosai. Both of these matsuri are concerned with the timber that will be used in the rebuilding. Before the Yamaguchisai, at 8 am, everyone who would participate in the matsuri paid their respects at Kōtaijingū, the Inner Sanctuary enshrining Amaterasu Ōmikami, and then paid distant reverence to Aramatsuri-no-miya, the highest ranking associated sanctuary, which enshrines Amaterasu Ōmikami’s Aramitama. They then went to a building near the sanctuaries called the Gojōden, for… Read More »Yamaguchisai and Konomotosai

Mihishiroki Hōeishiki

At the end of February, Isë Jingū announced the dates for the first large public events of the 63rd Shikinen Sengū, and this was reported in the 10th March issue of Jinja Shinpō. The Mihishiroki Hōeishiki will take place on June 9th at the Inner Sanctuary and June 10th at the Outer Sanctuary. This is the “Honourable Hishiro Tree Pull Offering Ceremony”, and it involves trees being pulled into the precincts of the Inner and Outer Sanctuaries. These are (almost) the most sacred trees in the whole ceremony — the… Read More »Mihishiroki Hōeishiki

Starting with Trees

The 24th February issue of Jinja Shinpō had two front-page articles about the Shikinen Sengū at Isë Jingū, both closely connected with trees. The first announced the determination of the dates for the first two matsuri of the Shikinen Sengū. There are 33 matsuri (on the official count) involved in the Shikinen Sengū, and they take place over the course of eight years. This is why the Shikinen Sengū is not referred to by a year, but by a number — this one is the 63rd. (For accessibility, I am… Read More »Starting with Trees

Misomayama

The preparations for the 63rd Shikinen Sengū at Isë Jingū continue. According to the 3rd February issue of Jinja Shinpō, the Tennō designated the “misomayama” on January 15th. The misomayama are the forests from which the timber necessary for the rebuilding will be harvested. For the last few centuries, they have been in the Kiso region, a mountainous part of central Japan in Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. That tradition was followed this year, with Kisotani National Forest and Urakiso National Forest being designated. Because these are national forests, Jingū will… Read More »Misomayama