PROVISIONAL TRANSLATION(December 2018)
Only significant errors of English in the translation
have been corrected––the content will be checkedagainst the original Japanese for accuracy at a later
date.

The History of the Great Thanksgiving Ceremony

NITTA Hitoshi1

The Daijōsai, or “Great Thanksgiving Ceremony,” originated as a ritual of rice farming, which is
the root of Japanese culture, and the Daijōsai is part of the imperial enthronement ritual, which isthe core of the structure of the state. Because of that, it is found that while sustaining the essential
features of the ritual, the Daijōsai has changed in terms of the way it has been conducted. The
history of the Daijōsai can be explained by dividing it into six stages.
First, the first stage signifies the period before the Daijōsai was established as a system. During
this period, Niinamesai, which became the matrix of the Daijōsai, was practiced, and from the
Yayoi period to the reign of Emperor Tenchi. The second stage is the time of establishment anddevelopment. In terms of periodization, it is from the end of the Asuka period to the middle ofthe Heian period, and from the 40th emperor Tenmu to the 60th emperor Daigo. The third stage isthe period of transformation from the middle from the Heian period to the middle of the
Muromachi period (around the time of Ōnin War). It is from the 61st emperor Suzaku to the 103rd
emperor Go-Tsuchimikado. The fourth stage is the period of interrupt from the middle of the
Muromachi period (the Warring States period). It is the period from the 104tht emperor GoKashiwabara to the 112th emperor Reigen. The fifth stage marks the period of restoration. It isfrom the middle to the end of the Edo period, and from the 113th emperor Higashiyama to the121st emperor Kōmei. The sixth stage is the period of development from the Meiji to Shōwa
periods, and from the 124th emperor Shōwa.
The First Stage: The Period of the Beginning of the Daijōsai
Rice farming, which had been brought into japan at the end of Jōmon period, rapidly spreadthroughout the country, which largely changed the social structure up to that point and shiftedfrom a hunter-gatherer economy to production economy. Due to high efficiency and long-term
storage of rice, rice farming made it possible to sustain many people, and the activities of
production inevitably formed a community. It is sense of values and habits, which had been
produced through the activities of the community of rice farming, that have been the root ofJapanese culture.
Festivals relating to rice is one of such. The ancient people of Japan called the country “mizuho
no kuni, or the land of rice” which contains their condensed hope for a good harvest. Form thishope, a series of festivals were produced. Above all, Niinamesai is an important festival, which has
been thought that through offering the rice newly harvested in fall to kami and ancestors and
1 THE AUTHOR is a professor in the Contemporary Japanese Society Department at Kōgakkan University. This

chapter was originally published in Japanese in Matsumoto Takashi, “Kinsei no Shinto to gakumon shisō,” Ise Jingū
sūkeikai sōsho, 22 (2018).The Daijōsai no shisō to rekishi (1990).

consuming together with them, they hoped to revitalization of life. And this festival has beenthought to be conducted in agricultural society in general.
This Niinamesai has been, needless to say, conducted by an emperor. However, in the case of
the emperor’s Niinamesai, it has been thought to have particular meaning. It is the Niinamesai ofthe regality.
The emperor’s Niinamesai originates in the mythology that Amaterasu Ōmikami bestowed earsof rice harvested in heaven on Ninigi no mikoto upon his descent to earth. Rice offered by theemperor for Niinamesai is produced in the special rice field belonging to the emperor, and this rice
field is the reemergence of the very sacred rice field of heaven. In terms of a way of thinking of
mythology, the order on earth reflects the order of Kami centering on Amaterasu Ōmikami inheaven. Therefore, it can be thought that Niinamesai, which has been conducted by princes andministers of the imperial court centering on the emperor, functions as a festival to verify the mission
and world view that they bring the order of Kami on earth while inheriting the ancestors’ acts.
There is no wonder why Niinamesai with such values later developed as the Daijōsai as the ritualof enthronement.
The Second Stage: The Establishment and Development of the Daijōsai
The establishment of the Daijōsai as a ritual of enthronement specific to Japan is deeply relatedwith the foundation of the ancient Japanese nation under the ritsuryō codes starting with Taika
Reform. In those days, the governing principle of the ancient nation largely changed, and theposition of people shifted from that of being privately controlled by powerful clans to that of“citizens” who were publicly governed by the nation. The powerful clans also became “public
servants” who were integrated into the organization of the nation. At the same time, theconsciousness of independent toward the outside of the nation built up.
This circumstance clearly reflected the enthronement rituals. Niinamesai, which had been
fostered by a new governing principle and the consciousness of independence toward the outsideof the nation, became the Daijōsai. In the case of the Daijōsai, unlike Niinamesai, service forcitizens, such as regions of Yuki and Suki provinces, was regarded as a highly important element.
Also, the Daijōsai was formed as an independent ritual different from the Chinese one forenthronement.
The establishment of the Daijōsai is said to have happened during the reign of the 40th emperor
Tenmu (r. 673-86), or the 41st empress Jitō (r. 686-97). The Daijōsai, which had been establishedlike this, developed along with the efflorescence of the nation with ritsuryō codes, and from theend of the Nara period to the beginning of the Heian period, its importance as the ritual ofimperial enthronement increased. This period is marked by the reevaluation of the politics valuing
Buddhism and the adoration of worship of Kami. At the Daijōsai of the 50th emperor Kanmu (r.
781-806), offering of the imperial regalia by the Imbe clan was moved from the ritual of coronation
to the Daijōsai. (Note that this particular ritual terminated after the 54th emperor Ninmei’s theDaijōsai.) At the Daijōsai of the 51st emperor Heijyō (r. 806-809), the banquet was set up for threedays of Tatsu, Mi, and Toyoakari-sechie, and the emperor’s purification ceremony outside thepalace was conducted for the first time. Also, the period of staying clear was fixed as a month. Like
this, the process of making ceremonies of the Daijōsai magnificent reached its high point during
the reign of Emperor Heijyō.
The magnificence of the Daijōsai was also legally founded and regulated in the Kōnin Shiki
Code, Jōgan Shiki Code, and Engi Shiki Code. The Kounin Shiki Code was founded during the52nd emperor Saga (r. 809-823) and enforced during the 53rd emperor Junwa (r. 823-33). The JōganShiki Code was founded by the imperial edict of the 56th emperor Seiwa. The Engi Shiki Codewas completed during the reign of the 60th emperor Daigo and was enforced during the reign of
the 63rd emperor Reizei.
The Third Stage: Transformation of the Daijōsai
The period of the reigns of the 60th emperor Daigo and the 62nd emperor Murakami (r. 946-67) isadmired as Engi-Tenryaku no Chi, or the magnificent imperial reign by people of later period.
However, since this time, in reality, the principle of land publically owned, which was the base of
the ritsuryō system, began to greatly change. By the expansion of the private land, it became
difficult to maintain the rice field allotment system; thus, the imperial court tried to protect thefinancial resource by having rice fields managed directly. Also, by strengthening the authority of
kokushi, or provincial governor, the imperial court came to entrust the regional politics to kokushi.
And at the imperial court, after Emperor Murakami, sesshō or kanpaku were founded. This meansthat the governing power of the central government began decline.
This kind of transformation of a state system is called the shift from the ritsuryō system to thesystem of the dynasty state. This change is projected on the Daijōsai. First, since Emperor Daigo’s
the Daijōsai, provinces for Yuki and Suki were fixed: the former was Ōmi and the latter was Harima,
Tanba, and Bicchuu no kuni, and only gun or smaller division of a province was selected by
divination. (Except the cases of lack of the Daijōsai after the 67th emperor Sanjō, it was fixed that
Oumi was Yuki and Suki was Tanba, which continued until the 121st emperor Kōmei.) Moreover,at the time of the 73rd emperor Go-Sanjō (r. 1068-1072), due to the tax system based on the ritsuryō
system, it became difficult to conduct the Daijōsai, and the “daijōeyaku” or a temporary tax forshōen or private estates and kōryō or public lands was founded for the Daijōsai.
The enforcement of this “daijōeyaku” was entrusted to a reginal governor, but when it turned
the Kamakura period and after the 84th emperor Juntoku (r.1210-1221)’s the Daijōsai, regardlessof shōen or kōryō, lords of all lands of the country had to pay tax. Around the time of the 92nd
emperor Fushimi (r.1287-1298)’s the Daijōsai, there was a tendency that the bakufu began to collectnecessary expenditure, and for the 95th emperor Hanazono (r.1308-1318)’s the Daijōsai, the bakufu
mainly collected the necessary expenditure.
During that period, the 85th emperor Chūkyō (r.1221) was not able to conduct the Daijōsai dueto the effect of Jōkyū uprising. Similarly, after the failure of Kenm no chūkō or Kenmu Restorationof the 96th emperor Go-Daigo (r.1318-1339), the three emperors of the Southern Court of Yoshino,
the 97th Go-Murakami (r.1339-1368), the 98th Chōkei (r.1368-1383), and the 99th Go-Kameyama(r.1383-1392), did not conduct the Daijōsai.
After the unification of the Northern and Southern Courts, the Daijōsai from the 100themperor Go-Komatsu (r.1392-1412) to the 103rd emperor Go-tsuchimikado (r.1464-1500) was
conducted by the support of the Muromachi bakufu.
The Fourth Stage: The Interruption of the Daijōsai
After the outbreak of the Ōnin War in 1467, the Warring States period began, and the Daijōsai
was interrupted from the 104th emperor Go-Kashiwabara (r.1500-26) to the 112nd emperor Reigen(r.1663-87) for nine generations or 221 years. Even during this difficult period, emperors always
hoped that the Daijōsai should be restored. The 105th emperor Go-Nara (r.1526-57) sent an envoy
to Ise Jinguu in order to offer his prayer for restoration of the Daijōsai. The 108th emperor
Gomizunoo (r.1611-29) wrote Touji nenjuu gyooji, and similarly, many emperors did research on courtrituals and wrote about them.
The Fifth Stage: The Restoration of the Daijōsai
Emperor Gomizunoo’s son the 112th emperor Reigen inherited his father’s will and made efforts
to restore the Daijōsai. Although the Tokugawa bakufu was not supportive for Reigen’s efforts at
all at the beginning, as a result of negotiating for six months, the agreement was made between the
bakufu and imperial court that the budget of the enthronement ceremony would be used for the
expense of the Daijōsai in order not to increase the expense of the bakufu. Thus, on the fourth ofApril of the 4th year of the Jōkyō period, Emperor Reigen abducted his crown to his son the 113themperor Higashiyama (r.1687-1709), and on the 16th of November of the same year, the Daijōsai
was restored. Yet many aspects of the Daijōsai were simplified such as the termination of thepurification ceremony and the fixing of sechie or banquet for the day of tatsu only.
At the time of the 114th emperor Nakamikado (r.1709-1735), the Daijōsai was again interrupted,
but at the time of the 115th emperor Sakuramachi (r.1735-1747), the bakufu offered the support
for the conduct of the Daijōsai by the will of Shōgun Yoshimune. As a result, the Daijōsai
supported by the bakufu continued until the 121st emperor Kōmei.
The Sixth Stage: Redevelopment
Meiji Restoration, which had taken place by getting through turmoil at the end of the Edo bakufu
since Commodore Perry’s arrival in Japan, broke up the system under the Shogunate and aimed
to establish the modern centralized nation while sustaining tradition. This is clearly shown by theenthronement ceremony of Emperor Meiji, the 122nd (r.1867-1912), which took place on the 27thof August of the 4th year of the Keiō period. At this enthronement ceremony, which happened at
the imperial palace in Kyoto, it was decided that meritorious retainers should be equally treated bytaking a lesson from the failure of Kenmu Restoration, and officials of the new government (mainly
from the warrior class) besides conventional officials (nobles) served. Also, instead of the Chinese
way of enthronement ceremony, the Japanese way was newly introduced.
After the series of changes such as the transfer of the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo (March of
Meiji 2), returning feudal domains to the imperial court (June of Meiji 2), and abolition of feudal
domains and establishment of prefectures (July of Meiji 4), Emperor Meiji’s the Daijōsai wasconducted on the 17th of November of the 4th year of the Meiji period. This the Daijōsai wasconducted in Tokyo, which discontinued a tradition that the Daijōsai had been conducted in Kyoto
since Heian sento. Along with this change, the provinces for yuki and suki was decided by deviation
based on Tokyo as center, and Kai province (Yamanashi prefecture) was chosen for yuki and Awa
province (Chiba prefecture) for suki. Thus, the fixation of yuki and suki since Emperor Daigo ended.
Also, special products of both provinces of yuki and suki were decided to be offered as a new
ceremony (niwazumi no tsukue no shiromono), and a way of the people’s support was extended.
Along with the development of the Meiji nation, the legal system relating to the Imperial
Household began to be put in order, and Kōshitsutenpan or the Imperial Household Law was enacted
in the year of 22 of the Meiji period. By this Imperial Household Law, it was enacted that both theenthronement ceremony and the Daijōsai should be conducted in Kyoto. Following, in the year of
42 of the Meiji period, Tōkyoku-rei, which regulated the ceremony for the accession to the Throne,
was promulgated. After that, the Daijōsai of the 123rd emperor Taishō (r.1912-1926) and the 124themperor Shōwa (r.1926-1989) were conducted according to the regulations of Tōkyoku-rei.

The Program for The Daijōsai
The Daijōsai itself is a festival held in November, but in fact, a series of ceremonies of the Daijōsai
begin with the ceremony of selecting the sacred rice field. This ceremony is for selecting the sacredrice field where rice to be used at the Daijōsai will be produced, and it is a traditional event thatchooses “yuki den” or the sacred rice field for yuki and “suki den” or the sacred rice field for suki bydeviation based on patterns of cracks of burnt shell of tortoise, called kiboku, which has beenpracticed since the ancient times. From old days, the sacred rice fields for both yuki and suki had
been chosen centered around Kyoto, and based on it, the article 8 of Tōkyoku-rei regulated that“regarding the sacred rice fields for the Daijōsai, eastern and southern area from Kyoto should be
the yuki region and western and northern area from Kyoto should be the suki region, and thesacred rice fields should be decided accordingly.” Additionally, yuki and suki signify cleanness after
being ritualized and purified. In the case of the Daijōsai of Heisei, it was decided that “yuki den”
would be chosen in the Akita prefecture, and “suki den” would be chosen in the Ooita prefecture.
When it turns September and at the time of rice harvest, a ceremony of harvest takes place inthe yuki den and suki den. This is called “nukiho no gi” or a ceremony of plucking the ears of rice
plants. For this ceremony, customarily, the imperial envoy is sent by the emperor. From theharvested sacred rice, special sacred sake called shiroki kuroki is brewed at the brewery located in the
Kamowakeikazuchi Shrine (Kamigamo) by using water from the well of the shrine. Other sacred
food to be offered to kami are also prepared.
The first large ceremony of a series of enthronement ceremonies is the accession one held on
the 12th of November. During the morning of this day, “sokuirei tōjitsu kensho oomae no gi”
is held at the Kensho, or one of the three imperial palace shrine where the sacred mirror where
the spirit of Amaterasu Ōmikami is believed to reside. This is a ceremony which the emperor
reports to Aamterasu Ōmikami that the accession ceremony is to be held on that day, and after
reverentially offering a branch of the sacred tree, the emperor recites the Shinto prayer calledotsugebumi to his ancestral spirits. In the afternoon of this day, “sokuirei tōjitsu shōden no gi” is held.
In the hall named matsu no ma of the Imperial Palace, two Imperial Thrones are placed for thisceremony, brought from the Kyoto Imperial Palace: takamikura and michoudai. The structure offormer consists of three levels of covered black stairs with a black lacquer palace andornamentations of a big phoenix, a small phoenix, and a mirror; the latter is smaller and lessdecorated than the former. The Emperor sits in the former; the Empress sits in the latter. At thisceremony, customarily, the Emperor makes his statement, and the prime minister as arepresentative of the nation, recites “yogoto” or the words of celebration.
After that, it is the Daijōsai that is held on the 23rd of November. A series of related ceremonies
to the Daijōsai held for Emperor Shōwa are as follows: At first, a shrine called daijōkyū is newly
built where the Daijōsai is held. This daijōkyū consists of yuki-den of east, suki-den of west, kairyūden, and other buildings. A structure of each building is simple consisting of straws for roofs andlogs without removing the surface. For this coming the Daijōsai [of Heisei], daijōkyū will befounded in the east side of the Imperial Palace.
The very ceremony held on the day of the Daijōsai is called “daijōkyū no gi.” This daijōkyū no gi
comprises two ceremonies “yuki-den no gi” and “suki-den no gi.” It is “yuki-den kusen no gi” oroffering sacred food to kami. The Emperor who was wearing sokutai attire of silk and pure white
without design moves onto the hall in the middle of the kairyū-den and takes a bath with hot waterfor purification. Next, the Emperor changes his attire to gosaifuku or the ritual costume. During thetime of his changing the attire, those who are to attend daijōkyū no gi proceed to the open-air building
set up for them to observe the ceremony take their seats.

At the time of the Emperor’s arrival from kairyū-den to yuki-den, a reginal song of kuzu no kofūor a song of an ancient style from kuzu and another reginal song of yuki province are performed.
Kuzu no kofū originates in the story that when Emperor Oujin visited Yamato Yoshino region,
villagers of kuzu offered rice wine and sang a song, and it is the song that since that time, villagers
of kuzu came to attend the banquet at the Imperial Palace and sang. A reginal song from yuki
province signifies a song which is newly composed including the famous place names.
Next, those who make procession to carry the sacred foods for the Daijōsai (shinsen gyōryū) get
ready and enter the yuki-den. At this time, the Emperor proceeds to the imperial seat located in
the inner sanctum of the yuki-den from its outer area. After he purifies his hands, “shinsen goshinku
no gi” takes place. While being assisted by maidens, the Emperor himself offers the sacred foods
to kami. After that, naorai happens. Here, the Emperor ritually has some of the sacred food offered
to kami. Then the rest of the sacred foods take away, and the Emperor goes back to the kairyūden. During these times, the court musicians perform kagura songs.
Next, similarly, the sacred foods are offered to kami at the suki-den in the same manner as theyuki-den no gi. After daijōkyū no gi of yuki-den and suki-den, “taikyō” or banquet is held. This can bethought as naorai after a festival. In the ancient times, this was held three ties, but in the case ofEmperor Shōwa, it was held at the newly built hall twice: banquet of the first day held on the dayof the Daijōsai and banquet of the second day held on the next of the Daijōsai. At the hall for thebanquet, seats for the Emperor and the Empress were set up in the center of the northern part of
the hall, and a folding screen with a picture depicting the yuki province and another folding screenwith a picture depicting the suki province were also placed at the banquet hall. On these screens,selected poems were written. During this ceremony, gagaku was performed, and fuzoku-mai or
ritualized dance of province of yuki province and suki province were performed. On the day of
the Daijōsai, government officials were also invited to a grand party held in the evening. Also, on
the first day of the Daijōsai, a banquet came to be held in regions in Japan; thus, a banquet washeld in each region. In the case of Emperor Shōwa, more than 220,000 people attended such abanquet in Japan.
In this way, after a series of rituals relating to the enthronement ceremony were completed, theEmperor and the Empress undertook their visits to Ise Jingū, Emperor Jinmu’s ridge, and theimperial tombs of the former four emperors: Kōmei, Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa. In the case of thiscoming the Daijōsai of Heisei, a tea party is to be held in Kyoto.