190501 Matsu-No-Ma State Room Japan Abdication Ceremony Copy

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

190501 Matsu-No-Ma State Room Japan Abdication Ceremony Copy About the Imperial Palace’s State Room The State Room, or Seiden Matsu no Ma, is the most prestigious hall in the Palace. The Taiirei Seiden no Gi (Ceremony of the Abdication of Emperor Akihito) was held here yesterday. Also to be held here is the Kenji to Shokei no Gi (Ceremony for Inheriting the Imperial Regalia and Seals) by incoming Emperor Naruhito at 10.30am today. Seiden Japan’s Three Matsu no Ma Crown Princess Crown Prince Emperor Empress Sacred Treasures • Directly translated Masako Naruhito Akihito Michiko • In his rst ceremony as Pine Room; ofcial as Emperor today, translation is State Naruhito will inherit Room. State and the Three Sacred • The only room with Privy Seals Treasures – also a polished wooden referred to as oor instead of Imperial Regalia – carpet. that symbolise his legitimacy as Emperor, along with 370 sq m State and Privy Seals used for ofcial Ceiling is 8m high matters. • The Treasures, which • Flooring made with are said to date to wood from Japanese pre-mediaeval times, zelkova, a tree known are so sacred that for its beautiful grain even generations of and durability. emperors have not laid eyes on them. Yata no Kagami (eight-sided mirror), represents Yasakani no Magatama (jewel), represents Kusanagi no Tsurugi (sword), represents wisdom and honesty benevolence and kindness bravery and valour • The mirror is said to have been made by the • The jewel is a comma-shaped bead that dates back to • By Japanese folklore, Susano-o (the Shinto Ishikori-dome (the Shinto God of mirrors), with the about 1,000 BC. It’s said to be worn by Ame-no-Uzume God of the sea and storms) had acquired the original believed to be kept at the Ise Grand Shrine (the Shinto Goddess of mirth and revelry), who sword after he slew a mighty eight-headed in Mie prefecture. Mirrors can divine truth, performed an extravagant dance to coax Amaterasu serpent. He then gave the sword to his sister, according to Japanese folklore, and this treasure is from a cave where she went into hiding after a ght the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, who is the direct so sacred that it’s not used in the ceremony. with Susano-o, plunging the earth into darkness. ancestor of Japan’s line of emperors. PHOTO: REUTERS TEXT: WALTER SIM STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS.
Recommended publications
  • Japanese Fairy Tales Ozaki, Yei Theodora
    Japanese Fairy Tales Ozaki, Yei Theodora Published: 1908 Categorie(s): Fiction, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Mythology, Short Stories Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4018 1 About Ozaki: Yei Theodora Ozaki was an early 20th century translator of Japanese short stories and fairy tales. Her translations were fairly liberal but have been popular, and were reprinted sever- al times after her death. According to "A Biographical Sketch" by Mrs. Hugh Fraser, included in the introductory material to Warriors of old Japan, and other stories, Ozaki came from an unusual background. She was the daughter of Baron Ozaki, one of the first Japanese men to study in the West, and Bathia Catherine Morrison, daughter of William Morrison, one of their teachers. Her parents separated after five years of marriage, and her mother retained custody of their three daughters until they became teenagers. At that time, Yei was sent to live in Japan with her father, which she enjoyed. Later she refused an arranged marriage, left her father's house, and became a teacher and secretary to earn money. Over the years, she traveled back and forth between Japan and Europe, as her em- ployment and family duties took her, and lived in places as di- verse as Italy and the drafty upper floor of a Buddhist temple. All this time, her letters were frequently misdelivered to the unrelated Japanese politician Yukio Ozaki, and his to her. In 1904, they finally met, and soon married. Copyright: Please read the legal notice included in this e-book and/or check the copyright status in your country.
    [Show full text]
  • Meaning of Imperial Succession Ceremonies Eiichi MIYASHIRO, Phd., the Asahi Shimbun Newspaper Senior Staff Writer
    FPCJ Press Briefing May 29, 2018 Provisional Translation by FPCJ Meaning of Imperial Succession Ceremonies Eiichi MIYASHIRO, PhD., The Asahi Shimbun Newspaper Senior Staff Writer 1. What Are the Imperial Succession Ceremonies? ・The set of ceremonies involved in passing on the position of emperor to the crown prince or other imperial heir ・Not specified in any laws ・Formerly, these ceremonies were codified in the 1909 Tokyokurei [Regulations Governing Accession to the Throne], but this law was abolished. There is no mention of them in the current Imperial Household Law. ・When the current emperor was enthroned, the ceremonies were carried out based on the Tokyokurei 2. Process of Ceremonies ・There are 3 stages to the imperial succession ・First, the Senso-shiki, in which the Three Sacred Treasures are passed on as proof of imperial status ・The Sokui-shiki, in which the emperor notifies others of his accession ・The Daijosai, in which the emperor thanks the gods for bountiful harvests ・Of these, the Senso-shiki are what are now referred to as the “imperial succession ceremonies” *The Sokui-shiki are ceremonies to inform others that a new emperor has been enthroned, and not ceremonies for the enthronement itself ・For the first time, the Taiirei-Seiden-no-Gi will be performed before the imperial succession *Until now, the succession has generally been carried out after the former emperor passes away. This will be the first time in modern Japanese history that an emperor has abdicated. 3. What Ceremonies Are There? ・Four ceremonies are carried out for the imperial succession ・Kenji-to-Shokei-no-Gi, Koreiden-Shinden-ni-Kijitsu-Hokoku-no-Gi, Kashikodokoro-no-Gi, and Sokui-go-Choken-no-Gi ・In the Kenji-to-Shokei-no-Gi, two of the Three Sacred Treasures that are proof of imperial authority are passed on from the former emperor, the sword Amenomurakumo-no- Tsurugi and the jewel Yasakani-no-Magatama.
    [Show full text]
  • The Otaku Phenomenon : Pop Culture, Fandom, and Religiosity in Contemporary Japan
    University of Louisville ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository Electronic Theses and Dissertations 12-2017 The otaku phenomenon : pop culture, fandom, and religiosity in contemporary Japan. Kendra Nicole Sheehan University of Louisville Follow this and additional works at: https://ir.library.louisville.edu/etd Part of the Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, Japanese Studies Commons, and the Other Religion Commons Recommended Citation Sheehan, Kendra Nicole, "The otaku phenomenon : pop culture, fandom, and religiosity in contemporary Japan." (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2850. https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/2850 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ThinkIR: The University of Louisville's Institutional Repository. This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has retained all other copyrights. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE OTAKU PHENOMENON: POP CULTURE, FANDOM, AND RELIGIOSITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN By Kendra Nicole Sheehan B.A., University of Louisville, 2010 M.A., University of Louisville, 2012 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Louisville in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities Department of Humanities University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky December 2017 Copyright 2017 by Kendra Nicole Sheehan All rights reserved THE OTAKU PHENOMENON: POP CULTURE, FANDOM, AND RELIGIOSITY IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN By Kendra Nicole Sheehan B.A., University of Louisville, 2010 M.A., University of Louisville, 2012 A Dissertation Approved on November 17, 2017 by the following Dissertation Committee: __________________________________ Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Shahooct.Pdf
    October 2005 VOLUME III ISSUE 10 a place where ancient traditions thrive Hawaii Kotohira Jinsha Hawaii Dazaifu Tenmangu Autumn Thanksgiving Festival 秋季感謝大祭 The point of Thanksgiving is to remember the things we have to be grateful for. It's our special time to give thanks... not just for the food we partake, but for the thousands of fortunate moments, the multitude of blessings that we receive every day of our lives. Giving thanks is a powerful tool that can dramatically improve your life and the lives of those around you. The Autumn Thanksgiving Festival is a special day to express gratitude that will enhance every aspect of our lives. The festival commenced at 3:00 pm on Sunday, October 23, officiated by Rev. Masa Takizawa and assisted by members of the Honolulu Shinto Renmei: Rev. Naoya Shimura of Hawaii Ishizuchi Jinja, Rev. Daiya Amano of Izumo Taishakyo Mission of Hawaii and Rev. Akihiro Okada of Daijingu Temple of Hawaii. A Miko mai entitled Toyosaka no Mai was performed by Shawna Arakaki. Kyodan President Shinken Naitoh welcomed guests and invited all to join members for a time of fellowship. A delectable array of Japanese delicacies were prepared by Fujinkai President Miyono Shimoda, Vice-President Kumiko Sakai and the ladies of the women’s auxiliary club. Adding to the enjoyment was classical Japanese dances by the students of Hanayagi Mitsuyuri of Hanayagi Dancing Academy, students of Harry Urata of Urata Music Studio, hula by Lillian Yajima of the Japanese Women’s Society, Shigin by Kumiko Sakai and Hatsuko Nakazato, karaoke by Shawna Arakaki and an extraordinary rendition of Yasuki Bushi by Vice President, Robert Shimoda.
    [Show full text]
  • Muko City, Kyoto
    Muko city, Kyoto 1 Section 1 Nature and(Geographical Environment and Weather) 1. Geographical Environment Muko city is located at the southwest part of the Kyoto Basin. Traveling the Yodo River upward from the Osaka Bay through the narrow area between Mt. Tenno, the famous warfield of Battle of Yamazaki that determined the future of this country, and Mt. Otoko, the home of Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine, one of the three major hachimangu shrines in Japan, the city sits where three rivers of the Katsura, the Uji and the Kizu merge and form the Yodo River. On west, Kyoto Nishiyama Mountain Range including Mt. Oshio lays and the Katsura River runs on our east. We share three boundaries with Kyoto city - the northern and western boundaries with Nishikyo-ku, and the eastern boundary with Minami-ku and Fushimi-ku. Across the southern boundary is Nagaokakyo city abutting Oyamazaki-cho which is the neighbor of Osaka Prefecture. The city is approximiately 2km from east to west and approximiately 4km from south to north covering the 7.72km2 area. This makes us the third smallest city in Japan after Warabi city and Komae city. Figure 1-1-1 Location of Muko city (Right figure (Kyoto map) : The place of red is Muko city) (Lower figure (Japan map) : The place of red is Kyoto) N W E S 1 Geographically, it is a flatland with the northwestern part higher and the southwestern part lower. This divides the city coverage into three distinctive parts of the hilly area in the west formed by the Osaka Geo Group which is believed to be cumulated several tens of thousands to several million years ago, the terrace in the center, and the alluvial plain in the east formed by the Katsura River and the Obata River.
    [Show full text]
  • In Silent Homage to Amaterasu: Kagura Secret Songs at Ise Jingū and the Imperial Palace Shrine
    In Silent Homage to Amaterasu: Kagura Secret Songs at Ise Jingū and the Imperial Palace Shrine in Modern and Pre-modern Japan Michiko Urita A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2017 Reading Committee: Patricia Shehan Campbell, Chair Jeffrey M. Perl Christina Sunardi Paul S. Atkins Program Authorized to Offer Degree: Music ii ©Copyright 2017 Michiko Urita iii University of Washington Abstract In Silent Homage to Amaterasu: Kagura Secret Songs at Ise Jingū and the Imperial Palace Shrine in Modern and Pre-modern Japan Michiko Urita Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Patricia Shehan Campbell Music This dissertation explores the essence and resilience of the most sacred and secret ritual music of the Japanese imperial court—kagura taikyoku and kagura hikyoku—by examining ways in which these two songs have survived since their formation in the twelfth century. Kagura taikyoku and kagura hikyoku together are the jewel of Shinto ceremonial vocal music of gagaku, the imperial court music and dances. Kagura secret songs are the emperor’s foremost prayer offering to the imperial ancestral deity, Amaterasu, and other Shinto deities for the well-being of the people and Japan. I aim to provide an understanding of reasons for the continued and uninterrupted performance of kagura secret songs, despite two major crises within Japan’s history. While foreign origin style of gagaku was interrupted during the Warring States period (1467-1615), the performance and transmission of kagura secret songs were protected and sustained. In the face of the second crisis during the Meiji period (1868-1912), which was marked by a threat of foreign invasion and the re-organization of governance, most secret repertoire of gagaku lost their secrecy or were threatened by changes to their traditional system of transmissions, but kagura secret songs survived and were sustained without losing their iv secrecy, sacredness, and silent performance.
    [Show full text]
  • Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei Mandara Talia J
    Mapping Sacred Spaces: Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei mandara Talia J. Andrei Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Columbia University 2016 © 2016 Talia J.Andrei All rights reserved Abstract Mapping Sacred Spaces: Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei Mandara Talia J. Andrei This dissertation examines the historical and artistic circumstances behind the emergence in late medieval Japan of a short-lived genre of painting referred to as sankei mandara (pilgrimage mandalas). The paintings are large-scale topographical depictions of sacred sites and served as promotional material for temples and shrines in need of financial support to encourage pilgrimage, offering travelers worldly and spiritual benefits while inspiring them to donate liberally. Itinerant monks and nuns used the mandara in recitation performances (etoki) to lead audiences on virtual pilgrimages, decoding the pictorial clues and touting the benefits of the site shown. Addressing themselves to the newly risen commoner class following the collapse of the aristocratic order, sankei mandara depict commoners in the role of patron and pilgrim, the first instance of them being portrayed this way, alongside warriors and aristocrats as they make their way to the sites, enjoying the local delights, and worship on the sacred grounds. Together with the novel subject material, a new artistic language was created— schematic, colorful and bold. We begin by locating sankei mandara’s artistic roots and influences and then proceed to investigate the individual mandara devoted to three sacred sites: Mt. Fuji, Kiyomizudera and Ise Shrine (a sacred mountain, temple and shrine, respectively).
    [Show full text]
  • HIRATA KOKUGAKU and the TSUGARU DISCIPLES by Gideon
    SPIRITS AND IDENTITY IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY NORTHEASTERN JAPAN: HIRATA KOKUGAKU AND THE TSUGARU DISCIPLES by Gideon Fujiwara A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate Studies (Asian Studies) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) April 2013 © Gideon Fujiwara, 2013 ABSTRACT While previous research on kokugaku , or nativism, has explained how intellectuals imagined the singular community of Japan, this study sheds light on how posthumous disciples of Hirata Atsutane based in Tsugaru juxtaposed two “countries”—their native Tsugaru and Imperial Japan—as they transitioned from early modern to modern society in the nineteenth century. This new perspective recognizes the multiplicity of community in “Japan,” which encompasses the domain, multiple levels of statehood, and “nation,” as uncovered in recent scholarship. My analysis accentuates the shared concerns of Atsutane and the Tsugaru nativists toward spirits and the spiritual realm, ethnographic studies of commoners, identification with the north, and religious thought and worship. I chronicle the formation of this scholarly community through their correspondence with the head academy in Edo (later Tokyo), and identify their autonomous character. Hirao Rosen conducted ethnography of Tsugaru and the “world” through visiting the northern island of Ezo in 1855, and observing Americans, Europeans, and Qing Chinese stationed there. I show how Rosen engaged in self-orientation and utilized Hirata nativist theory to locate Tsugaru within the spiritual landscape of Imperial Japan. Through poetry and prose, leader Tsuruya Ariyo identified Mount Iwaki as a sacred pillar of Tsugaru, and insisted one could experience “enjoyment” from this life and beyond death in the realm of spirits.
    [Show full text]
  • Q- Munakata Historic Byways
    Travel Guide of Scenic Byway Kyushu. Q-❺ Munakata Historic Byways Munakata Region (Munakata City and Fukutsu City) in Fukuoka Pref. ―Historic Road of Karatsu Kaido, and Munakata Taisha Shrine (World Culture Heritage) -- Cities of Munakata and Fukutsu are located between Fukuoka City The Munakata Taisha shrine has remained unchanged since the and Kitakyushu City, and are collectively called the Munakata region. beginning in that it is connected by three shrines, including a shrine of a Looking at the bird's-eye view of the Munakata region, the bow-shaped remote island, but as it is seen later, the style of the ritual has changed in sandy beaches facing the Genkai Nada Sea are connected forming a various ways. Due to their high cultural value, these ruins were small plain between the lush mountains. registered as World Cultural Heritage in 2017 as "The Sacred Island of This area has developed as a residential city and is a commuter area to Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region". two major cities, while keeping the atmosphere of an agricultural and The third is the scenic spots in Tsuyazaki district, a seaside town that fishing village. Looking at this area, there are three interesting scenic developed from the Edo period to the modern period, including Miyajid- spots: "Old Town along the Karatsu Kaido"(A), "Munakata Taisha ake Shrine. Shrine"(B), and "Old Town along Tsuyazaki Beach and areas of These three historical sites in the Munakata area are abbreviated as Miyajidake Shrine"(C). Munakata Taisha, Karatsu Kaido, and Tsuyazaki District respectively, The first is the three old towns of Akama Shukuba-machi, Haru-machi , but they are usually introduced as separate regional assets.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Nevada, Reno American Shinto Community of Practice
    University of Nevada, Reno American Shinto Community of Practice: Community formation outside original context A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Anthropology By Craig E. Rodrigue Jr. Dr. Erin E. Stiles/Thesis Advisor May, 2017 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL We recommend that the thesis prepared under our supervision by CRAIG E. RODRIGUE JR. Entitled American Shinto Community Of Practice: Community Formation Outside Original Context be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Erin E. Stiles, Advisor Jenanne K. Ferguson, Committee Member Meredith Oda, Graduate School Representative David W. Zeh, Ph.D., Dean, Graduate School May, 2017 i Abstract Shinto is a native Japanese religion with a history that goes back thousands of years. Because of its close ties to Japanese culture, and Shinto’s strong emphasis on place in its practice, it does not seem to be the kind of religion that would migrate to other areas of the world and convert new practitioners. However, not only are there examples of Shinto being practiced outside of Japan, the people doing the practice are not always of Japanese heritage. The Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America is one of the only fully functional Shinto shrines in the United States and is run by the first non-Japanese Shinto priest. This thesis looks at the community of practice that surrounds this American shrine and examines how membership is negotiated through action. There are three main practices that form the larger community: language use, rituals, and Aikido. Through participation in these activities members engage with an American Shinto community of practice.
    [Show full text]
  • Amaterasu - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    אמאטרסו أماتيراسو آماتراسو Amaterasu - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaterasu Amaterasu From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Amaterasu (天照 ), Amaterasu- ōmikami (天照大 神/天照大御神 ) or Ōhirume-no-muchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神 ) is a part of the Japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is the goddess of the sun, but also of the universe. The name Amaterasu derived from Amateru meaning "shining in heaven." The meaning of her whole name, Amaterasu- ōmikami, is "the great august kami (god) who shines in the heaven". [N 1] Based on the mythological stories in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki , The Sun goddess emerging out of a cave, bringing sunlight the Emperors of Japan are considered to be direct back to the universe descendants of Amaterasu. Look up amaterasu in Wiktionary, the free Contents dictionary. 1 History 2 Worship 3 In popular culture 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References History The oldest tales of Amaterasu come from the ca. 680 AD Kojiki and ca. 720 AD Nihon Shoki , the oldest records of Japanese history. In Japanese mythology, Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, is the sister of Susanoo, the god of storms and the sea, and of Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon. It was written that Amaterasu had painted the landscape with her siblings to create ancient Japan. All three were born from Izanagi, when he was purifying himself after entering Yomi, the underworld, after failing to save Izanami. Amaterasu was born when Izanagi washed out his left eye, Tsukuyomi was born from the washing of the right eye, and Susanoo from the washing of the nose.
    [Show full text]
  • Matrix: a Journal for Matricultural Studies “In the Beginning, Woman
    Volume 02, Issue 1 March 2021 Pg. 13-33 Matrix: A Journal for Matricultural Studies M https://www.networkonculture.ca/activities/matrix “In the Beginning, Woman Was the Sun”: Takamure Itsue’s Historical Reconstructions as Matricultural Explorations YASUKO SATO, PhD Abstract Takamure Itsue (1894-1964), the most distinguished pioneer of feminist historiography in Japan, identified Japan’s antiquity as a matricultural society with the use of the phrase ‘women-centered culture’ (josei chūshin no bunka). The ancient classics of Japan informed her about the maternalistic values embodied in matrilocal residence patterns, and in women’s beauty, intelligence, and radiance. Her scholarship provided the first strictly empirical verification of the famous line from Hiratsuka Raichō (1886-1971), “In the beginning, woman was the sun.” Takamure recognized matricentric structures as the socioeconomic conditions necessary for women to express their inner genius, participate fully in public life, and live like goddesses. This paper explores Takamure’s reconstruction of the marriage rules of ancient Japanese society and her pursuit of the underlying principles of matriculture. Like Hiratsuka, Takamure was a maternalist feminist who advocated the centrality of women’s identity as mothers in feminist struggles and upheld maternal empowerment as the ultimate basis of women’s empowerment. This epochal insight into the ‘woman question’ merits serious analytic attention because the principle of formal equality still visibly disadvantages women with children. Keywords Japanese women, Ancient Japan, matriculture, Takamure Itsue, Hiratsuka Raicho ***** Takamure Itsue (1894-1964), pionière éminente de l'historiographie feministe au Japon, a découvert dans l'antiquité japonaise une société matricuturelle qu'elle a identifiée comme: une 'société centrée sur les femmes' (josei chūshin no bunka) ou société gynocentrique.
    [Show full text]