Calendar of annual rituals
December
- 16th
- Gochinza-kinen-sai (Shrine Foundation Day Ceremony) 御鎮座記念祭
- 16th
- Mikagura (Sacred Court Dance and Music Ritual) 御神楽
5pm
Mikagura is a performance of classical ceremonial music and dance, and it has a long tradition which dates back to mythological times.
Mikagura originated in the performance held at the Imperial Court, and the songs of mikagura were invariably handed down in secret from generation to generation. Even nowadays, mikagura is rarely performed in public out of deference to its spirituality. Yet, its high artistic quality, and especially its solemnity, are well known.
The style of performance has not changed very much from the time of the ancient “Kami-asobi” event (religious ceremonial in which humans share their joy with kami).
The passing of time in the performance is identified with celestial movement. The prolonged tone of the songs is considered to be an expression of the time of the universe, and is a feature of mikagura performance. The earth is one such body of course but the people who live on the earth are forever in haste. The movements of the stars in the firmament are today what they were in the ancient past. Mikagura responds to the stars in the night sky and transcends time; it realizes in the present an ancient time which was in harmony with the heavenly bodies.※Kami (the Japanese word for Shinto deities or sacred beings)
- 31st
- Ôharae (Major Purification Ritual) 大祓
3pm
Oharae (大祓、major ritual of purification) is held to remove impurities and people’s sins. Harae (祓、purification) is held at the beginning of all Shinto rituals, and it is one of the most important rituals.
Shinto believes that people unconsciously come into contact with various types of defilement such as uncleanness, matters related to blood in everyday life, and anything related to death. In order to purge these, Oharae is conducted twice a year, the body and spirit are purified and refined. - 31st
- Koshinsatsu-shono-sai (Burning of Returned Amulets Ritual) 古神札焼納祭
- 31st
- Joya-sai (New Year's Eve Ceremony) 除夜祭
- 9th
- Chikyu-sai (Empress's Birthday) 地久祭