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Jingū

The Shikinen Sengū Interval

Issue 278 of Shintō Shūkyō included an interesting article speculating on the reasons why the Shikinen Sengū at Isë Jingū is held every twenty years: “The Foundations for Determining the Year for Transfer of a Deity (Sengūshiki): Sakutan usui and the Regulations for Official Storehouses”, by Ōno Yoshiyuki. The Shikinen Sengū is held every twenty years. Today, that means that the last one was in 2013, and the next will be in 2033. Originally, however, the year in which it was held was year one, and it was held again… Read More »The Shikinen Sengū Interval

Kozukuri Hajimesai

The next of the important ceremonies in the Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) at Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮) took place on April 21st, and was reported in the May 4th issue of Jinja Shinpō. This was the Kozukuri Hajimesai (木造始祭), or “matsuri for the beginning of making the wood”. This is one of the ceremonies for which the date and time are decided by the Tennō, meaning that it is one of the most central. (There are records from a couple of centuries ago of discussions back and forth over the best day… Read More »Kozukuri Hajimesai

Okihiki Zomëshiki

The 63rd Shikinen Sengū (式年遷宮) at Isë Jingū (伊勢神宮) continues, with another important event in mid April. This was reported on the front and back pages of the April 27th issue of Jinja Shinpō and addressed in the editorial. As you might guess from the title of this post, this event is called the “Okihiki Zomëshiki” (御木曳初式). Literally translated, this means something like “ceremony for the beginning of pulling the exalted trees”. You may remember that there have already been two ceremonies involving the pulling of trees, for the Mihishiro… Read More »Okihiki Zomëshiki

Jingū Taima 2026

Both the results of the hatsumōdë survey published in Jinja Shinpō on March 9th and a couple of articles, including the front page lead, on March 16th deal with the distribution of Jingū Taima. Jingū Taima are ofuda from Isë Jingū, and the position of the Shinto establishment is that every household in Japan should have one on their kamidana. According to the articles published on the 16th, last season (that is, over the new year period coming into this year) 7,836,747 were distributed, a fall of 106,101 from the… Read More »Jingū Taima 2026

Visiting Jingū

The front page of the January 12th issue of Jinja Shinpō carried an article about the visit of Prime Minister Takaichi and eleven cabinet ministers to pay their respects at Isë Jingū on the 5th. After visiting the Outer and Inner Sanctuaries, they offered kagura (which is the Jingū version of a formal prayer, gokitō), and Takaichi gave a press conference at the Jingū office. In the press conference, she summarised her plans as prime minister, and affirmed the significance of the Shikinen Sengū. This is a tradition. As I… Read More »Visiting Jingū

Start of Weaving

The ceremonies to mark the beginnings of the various parts of the 63rd Shikinen Sengū continue. The 8th December issue of Jinja Shinpō reported on another — the ceremony to mark the start of weaving. I reported on the ceremony to mark the start of spinning a few months ago, so that has clearly progressed far enough for them to move to the next stage. This ceremony was held on November 27th, at the factory in Kyoto where the weaving will be carried out. The company specialises in artistic weaving,… Read More »Start of Weaving