Evening star., 1915-11-15
JAPAN'S EMPEROR
IN ANCIENT RITES
Offers Feast of Sacred Food
to Spirits of His
Ancestors.
COMMUNES WITH DEITIES
OF heaven AND EARTH
Ceremony at Kioto Regarded by
Many as the eliminating Func-
tion of Coronation Exercises.

kIOTO, November 15-Last night,
alone, unseen and unheard, in primi-
tive huts of thatch and reed, Emperor
foshihito offered feast of sacred rice
to the spirits of his ancestors and to
the deities of heaven and earth, and
then himself partook of the sacred
food. Many Japanese regard this cere-
mony as the eliminating and chief rite
of all. since through it the emperor re-
ceives the confirmation of his heredi
tary right to deification.
All activities in the empire were sus-
pended and the day was observed as d
holy one. The people for the most part
remained within their houses praying.
The festival was strictly limited to
Japanese.
In Japanese the ceremony is called
"daijosai,' which, translated, implies
grand harvest or Thanksgiving festi-
val" The ceremony proper was preced-
ed by many preliminaries. including
that of Saturday, when prayers were
offered for the longevity of the i'm
perial house and the sending of i'm
perial messengers to each Of the 172
shrines throughout the empire to notify
the spirits of the imperial ancestors
that the grand harvest festival was
about to begin.
Invitation to Spirits of Deities.
Still another preliminary was the Of
fering of food before the imperial sane
tuary in the Shunkoden hall of the
kioto palace. A chamberlain and a
maid of honor represented the emperor
and empress in ancient costume.
Prior also to the festival proper was
held a ceremonial dedicated to inviting
the spirits Of the deities of heaven and
earth to come to their respective shrines
in the Daijo halls. These two shrines.
the Yuki, dedicated to the deities of hea-
ven, and the Suki, to those of earth,
were first purified and then decorated.
Several hundred military and naval of
ficerS of distinction, peers and other
dignitaries assembled at the waiting
hall. All were attired in full ceremonial
dress, the Japanese ladies wearing the
ancient court robes.
Then the chief ritualist proceeded to
the Yuki shrine and offered a Shinto
prayer before the altar, announcing to
the spirits of the deities of heaven that
the emperor would personally offer the
sacred food. The emperor, dressed in
Shinto ceremonial costume, came into
the Yuki shrine from the bathing hall
through a corridor covered with pure
Mattings Spread for Emperor's Walk
The mattings were spread by the rit-
ualists before the emperor as he pro-
ceeded on his way. and rolled and re-
moved by other ritualists after he had
trod upon them. Thus, no member of
the retinue was permitted to touch
them with his feet.
Close behind his majesty walked
hamberlain, who held huge UNI
over the head of the emperor. Another
chamberlain held the umbrellas Gordon.
When the procession, which included
the members of the cabinet in court
costume, reached the veranda of the
shrine, the chamberlain intrusted with
the sword and jewel mounted the step
and placed the sacred objects on table.
The emperor then ascended the veran-
da, and entering the hall. took his seat
on a throne provided in the room out
side the inner shrine. The lord cham
berlain- and chief ritualist followed and
sat on the mattings on the southern
veranda around the hall The crown
prince, the princes of the blood, the
ministers of state and other members
of the retinue entered the pavilion pro-
vided in the southern yard of the shrine
and took their seats.
Notes of the Flute Break Silence.
Suddenly the silence of the night was
broken by the notes of a flute. Then
were played popular songs of the Yuki
district by the court musicians-anctent
songs of felicitation and JOY. When
the music was ended the crown prince,
princes and princesses of the blood and
other members of the imperial family
offered worship to the deities of heaven
ch rino at shrine.
sequently the members of the imperial
retinue and all dignitaries and other
participants offered obeisance.
When the crown prince, princes OF the
blood and other male members of the
imperial family had entered the Yuki
hall there came a procession of ritual
lists and maids of honor carrying the
scored food offerings which had been
prepared in the cooking hall. The
maids were attired in beautiful cere-
monial court robes of bright and va
ried colors. and each carried a wicker
basket containing food offerings and
utensils.
Five eight-legged tables bearing
sake cups, sacred sake wine. soup,
boiled rice and all the food to be tasted
by the emperor were then brought in
by ritualists. These preparations COM
pleted, ritualist beat wooden clap
pers to announce the commencement
of the holy ceremony of the emperor
offering food to the deities- To the
strains of the kagura music the en-
peror left his seat in the outer room.
and proceeding to the inner room. seat
ed himself on the throne, facing the
seat of the deities in the center;
Emperor Offers Food to Spirits.
Again purifying himself by washing
his hands, the emperor alone and un-
seen offered the sacred rice meal. sa-
cred sake wine and other food to the
spirits of the deities. No other person
was permitted to enter the precincts of
ALo kH.-4:. C