Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-05-23
JAPANESE SEEK
PURITICAIlOAOF
ANCIENT SHRINE
National Worship Center Said
to Have Been Desecrated
When Court Was Entered

3 4
TOXIC, Japan. The Japanese are
greatly concerned over what they con-
slider an unpardonable desecration OF
the Great Shrine at Ise, where the
Sun Goddess the imperial ancestor
of Japan, is worshipped This shrine
Is held in great reverence and may be
considered as the national center or
worship and devotion.
An Interpolation addressed to. the
minister Of the interior, X. Hara, who
himself Is charged with trespassing
upon the Holy Of Holes" has been
filed with the house Of representatives
by number Of opposition members.
According to the interpellatioh,
about three years ago thief broke
into the shrine compound and pene-
tfated Into the Inner Courts" where
he trampied down the sacred floor I'M
der his muddy feet He broke an
ornament on the ratings Of the shrine
corridor, and proceeded to the shrine
itself, where he smashed q number of
sacred bows. halberes, and shields
which we're arranged on either side OF
the doors leading to the main shrine.
The thief decamped with some of thu
treasures and ornaments sss
intruder Sentenced. -
Later the Intruder was arrested and
sentenced to 20 years irnprisonme MT.
The interpellatbrs accused the auth0fi.
ties Of objectionable neglect In not
having conducted q great ceremony
Of publication after the lamentaljle
Dissertation was committed. The "pti.
rification" Is one of the characteristic
features of Shintoism. Everything
surrounding Shinto df7inffies must be
purified In order to maintain this
state OF purification, the Great Shrine
at lse is built affesh every 40 years.
Whenever any dissertation is COM
mitted at the Isle Shrine. It has been
the custom from time ifnmemorial to.
report. the matter to the emperor, and
q great publication ceremony has been
conducted 0ftentimes the emperor
has confined himself in his own room
In mourning and penance for the sdes.
ecration. J.. g. =. !. -.
The Interpolation goes on to say
that -since the dissertation was com
niitted all sorts Of natural calamities
nave occurred In this country; the po-
litical situation has been more diff.
cult and the minds of the people have
not been Mt ease. all undoubtedly from
the divine will Of punishment. i
Home Minister Criticised.
The same Interpolation includes a
charge against the home minister who
is alleged to have trespassed upon the
Holy Of HOLES. which even the emper.
or dares not approach. This was In
May, 1912, two months after the first
reservation was committed, Mr..
Hara, on his visit to Ise. went into the
inner Courts" accompanied by priests
and officials of the shrine. Leaving the
priests and officials of his suite he
then proceeded alone into the Holy OF
HOLES, passing across it, and came out
again. This, II is considered. was a
great mark OF disrespect.
Another charge contained in the mar.
liamentary Interpolation is that a
theft was committed In the IMPERIAL
Maus6leur1 at kashiwabara where
Jitnina. the first emperor Of Japan. is
worshipped. This also occurred in
1872 The First year OF the era OF Great
Righteonshess. The thief stole some
sacred mirrors kept IN the mausoleum.
and later he tried to- sell one of them
to fureign merchant in Kobe The
thief was 2 arrested and the sacred
treasures were all recovered. but the
interpellators accuse the authorities
of not purifying the shrine.