Bang, bang, bang.

The moment the sound of the drum rang out to announce the hour, the atmosphere within the palace grounds became tense.

May 63, XNUMX. The XNUMXrd Shikinen Sengu Ceremony of Ise Grand Shrine was being held, and the first festival, the Yamaguchi Festival, was being signaled by the loud sound of beating drums. Then, the priests and other volunteers made their way solemnly along the approach to the shrine, stepping in unison to the soothing sound of their feet stamping on the gravel.

A festival in which everything is renewed and moved to the Omikami once every 20 years.

Shikinen means a set period of time, and Sengu literally means moving the shrine. Both the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine have the same amount of grounds on the east and west sides of the shrine, and once every 20 years the location of the main shrine is changed, a shrine building is built from scratch in accordance with ancient customs, and the clothing and furnishings of the gods are renewed, and the ritual of moving the gods, including Amaterasu Omikami, to the new shrine has been carried out since ancient times. The next time the gods will move to the new shrine will be in 15 (Reiwa 2033). Various preparations will be made over the next eight years in order to achieve this.

This time, we will introduce the Shikinen Sengu, the largest festival in Japan.

The Shikinen Sengu ceremony of the Grand Shrine was conceived at the urging of the 40th Emperor Tenmu, and is said to have begun in the 690th year of the reign of Empress Jito (1300) in accordance with his will. Since then, Sengu ceremonies have been held repeatedly for over XNUMX years.

The Shikinen Sengu, which began about 1300 years ago, will be held in 2033 and will mark its 63rd anniversary.

Why 20 years? There are many theories on this, and no consensus has been established. One widely held theory is that it was chosen for durability, as the shrine buildings are made of plain wood with thatched roofs. Another theory is that it was chosen because it was the optimal number of years to pass on traditional techniques such as shrine carpentry. Another theory is that the Warehouse Order, which stipulated the storage period for grains, also stipulated that rice stockpiles - however, rice that is steamed and dried (hoishii = dried rice) - should be stored for 20 years.

What is interesting is that at the time the Shikinen Sengu ceremony was established, Japan already had the technology to build durable structures, as evidenced by the construction of the world's oldest surviving wooden building, Horyuji Temple in Nara. Nevertheless, the shrine chose to use an architectural style called "Shinmei-zukuri," which originated in the granaries of the Yayoi period, and rebuild the shrine buildings every 20 years in an identical, new style, creating a style of succession that is unparalleled in the world.

At the root of this lies the strong desire of the ancient people to preserve and pass on the Japanese climate and culture that has sustained life on rice as a staple food, and to worship the gods in the Shinto ideal of "tokowaka," that is, in a state of perpetual youth and vitality. Each time a Sengu ceremony is held, the people of this country return to the origins of Japanese culture and prayer, and pass on the spirit as well as the ancient techniques.

It is unclear what Emperor Tenmu wished for when he came up with the idea for the Shikinen Sengu ceremony. However, the future is built on the continuation of the present, and the act of repeating things is in fact the most meaningful thing, making eternity possible, it seems that the Shikinen Sengu ceremony at the Ise Jingu Shrine is proof of this.

The first festival, the Yamaguchi Festival, is a prayer for the safe felling and construction of the timber used in the shrine's relocation.

So how exactly does the Shikinen Sengu ceremony take place?

There are a total of 33 festivals and events related to the Ise Jingu's Shikinen Sengu. They can be broadly divided into three types. The first is related to the materials used to build the shrine, the second is related to the construction of the shrine, and the third is the Sengyo, or moving of the sacred object to the new shrine. The Yamaguchi Festival introduced at the beginning is the first of all of these.

Incidentally, "Omatsuri" is originally the noun form of "to worship," and refers to a ceremony in which a deity is declared to and worshipped. It can also be translated as "ritual," "ceremony," or "festival," and refers to a solemn religious ceremony in which food and other offerings are made to the deity and prayers and thanks are given. The lively activities that are generally associated with the word "festival," such as carrying portable shrines, are merely events that accompany Omatsuri. The various ceremonies related to the Ise Jingu's Shikinen Sengu ceremonies are carried out in silence and solemnity, just like regular rituals.

The first festival to be held in the Shikinen Sengu ceremonies is the Yamaguchi Festival, in which, before cutting down timber for the shrine, a prayer is offered to the "god who resides at the Yamaguchi," that is, the god who resides at the entrance to the mountain, for permission to use the tree trunks, and for the safety of the work.

The "Konomoto Festival" is a ceremony to cut down the timber for the new "Goseiden" (main hall)

Furthermore, late at night on the same day as the Yamaguchi Festival, the timber that will become the Shin no Mihashira (Heart Pillar) is cut down in the mountains within the sacred area. This pillar was mentioned at the beginning of the second installment of this series, so please see that for more details, but when cutting down the timber for this special pillar, which has been considered sacred since ancient times, a secret ritual called the Konomoto Festival is held, where offerings are made to the "Great God Residing in the Wood" and it is announced that the cutting will be dedicated.

Incidentally, until this sacred material is enshrined in the center of the floor of the Main Hall, it is carefully wrapped in white cloth, pure straw mats (a mat made from woven plants), and pure straw mats, and placed within the grounds of both the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine.

It takes about two years to procure the timber needed for the shrine. During that time, the timber needed for the sacred objects, such as the vessels called "Mihishiro" that house the sacred objects of the Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine, and the boat-shaped "Mifuneshiro" that will house the "Mihishiro," are cut down first, and the associated festivals and events are held. After that, the timber needed for the construction of the shrine building is cut down.

The felled timber is dried underwater and then left to dry naturally for three to seven years in a well-ventilated drying shed for processing. At the shrine, the processing of timber is called "kozukuri," and when construction begins, a "kozukuri hajimesai" ceremony is held to pray for the safety of the construction work.

After the timber festival, there will be a shrine building festival and a deity transfer festival.

Then, five years before the relocation, in the current year of Reiwa 10, a "Chinchisai" ceremony, commonly known as a ground-breaking ceremony, is held on the new grounds where the new Goseigu, or Niimiya, will be built. After that, various construction-related ceremonies are held, mainly starting one year before the relocation, according to the progress of the construction work, such as the Ritchusai ceremony to erect the pillars of the Goseiden and the Jotosai ceremony to raise the ridgepole of the Goseiden. Furthermore, when the Shingu is completed, the secret ritual of erecting the "Shin no Mibashira" (heart pillar) under the floor of the Goseiden, the "Shin no Mibashira Hoken" ceremony, and the "Gochinsai" ceremony to give thanks for the completion of the construction to the gods residing in the Omiyadokoro, which will become the new shrine site, are held, and finally the time for the relocation will come.

The "Sengyo no Gi" ceremony, which is the core of the Shikinen Sengu ceremony, is held in pure darkness on a date and time set by the Emperor. At Ise Jingu, the dates and times for the most important ceremonies related to the Shikinen Sengu ceremony have traditionally been set by the Emperor. The following day, the first offerings of food are made to Amaterasu Omikami after she has moved to the new shrine, followed by an offering of heihaku by the Emperor. Finally, a sacred dance performance by musicians from the Imperial Household Agency is performed, concluding the eight-year Sengu ceremony.

The significance of Shikinen Sengu, which allows for continuity through change

However, technically, this is not the end of the Shikinen Sengu ceremonies at the Grand Shrine. Following the Sengu of the Inner Shrine, the Outer Shrine, and the two Main Shrines, new shrine buildings will be constructed at the 14 auxiliary shrines, and the Sengu ceremonies will be held in succession over the course of a year or so.

In addition, for the Shikinen Sengu ceremony, not only are the shrine buildings replaced, but also the clothing and accessories of the gods, the decorations used in the setting up of the shrine buildings, and furnishings such as swords, horse equipment, and stationery. The total number of items is 714 items from 1576 varieties. These items, called "Onshozokushinpo," are dedicated not only to the two main shrines, the Inner Shrine and the Outer Shrine, but also to all 14 auxiliary shrines, and the day before the "Sengo no Gi," the new shrine buildings are decorated with the scent of cypress.

What is noteworthy is that, like the shrine buildings, each of these "Osozoku Sacred Treasures" have been passed down for 1300 years without any changes to the specifications they have been handed down since ancient times. The items are made with the pursuit of designs, the finest techniques, and materials suitable for offering to the gods, and are the work of the most skilled artisans of the time, known as "Sacred Treasure Preparers." Each one uses all of their skills to create the finest works of art, but because these are the property of the gods, the works do not bear the name of the artisan or maker. "Preparation" means to make something according to specifications. Items to be offered to the gods are expected to be made with sincerity.

Daily prayers. Annual festivals that are held every year according to the rice-growing calendar. And the Shikinen Sengu ceremony that takes place once every 20 years.
From the past to the present, and into the future. This continuity over the years has created a sacred place of "Tokiwa".

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.