Rice is important to the Japanese people and is also an offering that connects people to the gods.

For the Japanese, rice is an important staple food. In fact, most of the rituals at Ise Grand Shrine are said to be related to rice cultivation. Rice cultivation is said to have been introduced to Japan in the late Jomon period. Since then, rice has been believed to be a food in which a divine spirit called Inadama resides, and people have offered it to the gods and also eaten it themselves, which is thought to connect them with the gods and grant them power. Why, out of all the foods available, has rice become the staple food of the Japanese and has been at the center of the rituals at the shrine since ancient times?
This time, we will introduce you to the Japanese people, rice, and shrine rituals.

The relationship between Japanese people and rice as seen in the Nihon Shoki

Tracing the origins of the relationship between the Japanese and rice, we arrive at the Nihon Shoki. In the first installment of this series, we learned about the descent of the heavenly grandson, that is, when Ninigi-no-Mikoto, the grandson of Amaterasu Omikami, descended to the earthly world after being entrusted with the Three Sacred Treasures by the great gods, he was also entrusted with one more thing: ears of rice that had ripened in the sacred fields of Takamagahara, where the gods live.
Based on these ears of rice, Omikami gave Ninigi-no-Mikoto the task of cultivating rice in the Earthly World. Furthermore, another passage in the Nihon Shoki tells us that Omikami positioned rice and the five grains, namely beans, wheat, millet, and millet, as what the people of the Earthly World should eat to survive.

The origin of the word "ine" (rice) is "the root of life." Rice cultivation was the source of the creation of a prosperous nation.

If we view this myth as a message to be passed on to future generations, we can also interpret it as meaning that the successive emperors, who are descendants of Amaterasu Omikami, aimed to popularize rice cultivation and thereby create a prosperous nation.

By the way, the origin of the word rice is "life (ThereLater) roots (I" In ancient times, this earthly world was also called "the land of abundant reed fields and rice," in other words, "a land blessed with water and where rice ripens well."

In any case, rice became the staple food of the Japanese people, and people began to live their lives centering around rice cultivation. The Emperor himself plants and harvests the rice in the fields within the Imperial Palace, and each year when the rice ripens, he offers the first grains to Amaterasu Omikami along with a prayer of gratitude.

Since ancient times, the shrine's rituals have been based on the rice-cultivation calendar - that is, the series of tasks that follow the changing of the seasons: plowing the rice fields, sowing the seeds and growing the seedlings, transplanting the seedlings into the paddy field and then planting them, and then using rain and other natural forces to ripen the rice and harvest it. This was solely for the purpose of safely harvesting the sacred ears of rice bestowed by the Great Deity each year, repaying his kindness, and offering thanks to his grace.

The "Kinensai" festival, a prayer for bountiful harvests, begins in February

So, what kinds of rice-related rituals are held at the shrine throughout the year?

It all starts with the "Kinensai" (prayers for the new year) held in February. This ceremony, also called the "Tosigoi Festival," takes place over the course of about a week at all 125 shrines, not just the two main shrines of the Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine, and prayers are offered for a good harvest. Incidentally, rice is also called "Toshi" (year) because it ripens on an annual cycle, and "Tosigoi" means to pray for rice, or in other words, to pray for a good harvest.

A spring festival that has been handed down through the generations and is held all over the country is called "Yosyuku."

February marks the beginning of spring cultivation.
Spring festivals to pray for a good harvest are held at the Imperial Court and all over the country, and some of these festivals involve movements that mimic the series of agricultural tasks, from plowing the fields with oxen to harvesting. This is a custom based on the so-called "yoshuku," which means that by simulating an expected outcome in advance, the exact outcome will come about, and is proof that the faith of our ancestors, which could be called the wisdom of life, has been passed down through the form of a festival.

However, the Ise Jingu Shrine's "Kinensai" is different from such spring festivals, and is conducted in a solemn and silent manner. During the ceremony, the priest recites words to the gods, called norito (prayer), written in an ancient style of writing, in a faint voice.
In modern Japanese, the elegance and grace of the prayer is not conveyed, but if one were to translate it freely, the element of anticipatory blessing can be felt in the part that reads, "When the rice that people have worked so hard to cultivate grows well, we will give them a generous gift of the first harvest and offer them plenty of sake." Norito prayers are based on the belief in the power of words, which holds that the words themselves have spiritual power, and that when spoken out loud, the things they say will come true.

From "Kanda Geshusai" to "Kanda Otaue Hajime"
The ritual continues with prayers for a good rice harvest that year and the start of rice preparation for offerings.

Then, in early April, the Kanda Geshusai festival, in which pure rice seeds called "yudane" are sown at Shinden, about 2,5 km from the Naiku, takes place, and in mid-May the Kanda Otaue Hajime festival, in which the grown seedlings are transplanted into the rice paddies and planted there.
This sacred rice field is said to have originated from the place where Yamatohime-no-mikoto designated that rice be grown here to be offered to Amaterasu Omikami, and it has existed ever since the goddess was enshrined in Ise.
What is interesting is that the "First Rice Planting Ceremony" is treated as a "ceremony" that is lower in rank than a "festival." This is said to be related to the fact that rice planting only became widespread in the world during the Muromachi and Momoyama periods, and that before that, direct seeding, in which rice seeds were sown directly in the rice fields, was the only method of cultivation.

In other words, the Kanda Shimotane Festival, in which pure rice seeds are sown directly in the Kanda rice paddy, has a longer history than the Kanda Ontauehajime, in which seedlings are planted in the paddy fields. For example, before the ritual of sowing rice seeds, the priests climb the small hill of Mt. Yukuwayama in front of the Kanda rice paddy, and first ask the mountain god for permission to obtain an oak tree needed to make a hoe, a farming tool. Then, they actually make a hoe handle from the tree that they cut down, and return the roots and branches of the tree to the mountain god. This ritual, which can be said to be the origin of prayers to respect and give thanks to nature, is carried out out of sight of the public.

The "Kazahi no Misai" festival is held twice a year, in May and August.
Praying for no damage caused by wind or rain to the growing crops

When the lush green rice seedlings are planted in rows in the sacred rice fields, the Kazahi no Misai festival is held at Kazahi no Miya, a branch shrine of the Naiku. These two festivals, held in May and August, the most important months for rice growth, are held to pray for "sweet rain and gentle winds," meaning good weather with no disasters and just the right amount of rain and wind.

In the olden days, it is said that rituals were held at this Fuhikimiya Shrine every morning and evening for two months from July 31st to August XNUMXst to pray for a good harvest and no disasters from wind and rain.
Nowadays, with the advancement of improved varieties, it is natural that we can enjoy rice every day - although this has not been the case since last year - but rice is a crop that is fundamentally dependent on the forces of nature, and it is impossible not to feel the weight of what a series of miracles it has been that we have been able to harvest it every year for over 2000 years and serve it on the tables of so many people, when we look at the number of rituals that were once performed "twice a day for two months."

The Nuibosa Festival is held in September during the harvest season.
A ceremony to remove the first harvest of rice to be offered to the Emperor

Thus the time comes for the rice harvest, and in early September the Nuibosai Festival is held at Jingu Kanda.
Nukiho is an ancient harvesting method in which after the rice has been harvested with a clean sickle called an imikama, the ears of rice are pulled out one by one, and is thought to be a relic from an era before sharp sickles were available.
The picked rice grains are tied together with hemp in the traditional way and left to dry naturally in the sacred rice fields for a few days before being placed into karahitsu (a cypress box used to carry sacred offerings and other items needed for rituals).The Inner Shrine's rice is kept in the Mishine-no-Mikura, which was built in the same Shinmei-zukuri style as the Main Shrine, and the Outer Shrine's rice is kept in Imibiyaden, a sort of kitchen for the gods where sacred offerings are prepared every day.

The most important ritual is the Kanname Festival.
The first offering of newly harvested grains is made to Amaterasu Omikami as a sign of gratitude.

Then in October, the Kanname Festival finally takes place.
The Kannamesai, considered the shrine's most important and largest ritual, is a ceremony in which the first harvest of the year, including the first grains harvested by the Emperor himself, are offered to Amaterasu Omikami as thanksgiving from farmers all over the country. Along with gratitude for the safe ripening of the rice bestowed by the goddess once again this year, and for being able to repay her kindness, prayers are also offered for the safety of the Imperial family and for people to live peaceful, prosperous and tranquil lives. Since its founding, the shrine has held various rituals to give thanks to Amaterasu Omikami, and has also continued to pray for bountiful harvests, the prosperity of the nation, and the happiness of the people.

Praying for a good harvest in the spring and giving thanks for the harvest in the fall

If you think about it, in Japan, it has been believed since ancient times that eating new rice would bestow new powers on the gods, the Emperor, and even ordinary people.

That's why the ritual goes like this: first, offer the first harvest to Amaterasu Omikami at the Kannamesai, then the Emperor offers new grains to the Tenjinchigi (gods of heaven and earth), that is, the gods who live in the heavenly and earthly worlds, at the Imperial Palace, and they all eat together at the Niinamesai (the Niinamesai is also held on this day at the Niinamesai Shrine), and finally, autumn festivals are held in villages, where people eat the new grains. In the past, people refrained from eating new grains until the Niinamesai was over, probably because this belief in rice was widespread.

Prayers are offered daily for the safety of the Imperial Family and the happiness of the people.

In sacred offerings, rice plays a central role along with water and salt.
At the "Daily Morning and Evening Great Food Offerings Festival" which is held twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, as well as at major religious ceremonies, a priest who has purified his body and mind by staying in the shrine hall the night before, creates fire with a fire drill. This pure fire, called "imibi," is used together with sacred water drawn from the well of Kaminomi-jinja Shrine in the Geku, which is said to have been in harmony with the waters of Takamagahara, where the gods live, to steam rice, which is then made into a rice ball called "on'i" and offered up.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that rice is a rare food, as 2000 to 3000 grains can ripen from a single seed. Through the rituals at the shrine, I was reminded of the preciousness of rice, something I had forgotten in my daily life.

Text by Misa Horiuchi

Writer

When I went to Europe to cover classical music, I was asked a lot of questions about Japan.This experience of being unable to answer most of the questions prompted him to begin researching Japanese music, culture, and prayer.This year marks his 16th year. His books include "Adult Nara: A journey to clear your mind" and "Adult Nara: A journey through breathtaking views" (both published by Tankosha), and "The World of Kamuy" (published by Shinchosha).

Photo by Akihiko Horiuchi

Photographers
He currently photographs mainly shrines and Japanese prayers. His photo books include "Ainu Prayers" (Kyuryudo) and "To the Forest of Brahms' Music" (Sekai Bunka Publishing). He is also a photographer who loves Bach, Evans, and sacred mountains.