Kinen-sai: Difference between revisions

Kinen-sai (祈年祭, also read as Toshigoi no Matsuri)^[1]^: 32 is a harvest festival that was celebrated every year in ancient Japan on February 4.^[2] It was held to pray for a good harvest,^[2]^[1]^: 32^[3]^: 33 as reflected in its name.^[3]^: 33 It is sometimes contrasted with Niiname-no-Matsuri or the fall festival.^[4]^[1]^: 72

It is now celebrated yearly all across Japan^[5] including at Meiji Jingu,^[6] and Isonokami Shrine.

History

Emperor Tenmu started the festival in 675 AD. All shrines of the Engishiki Jinmyocho had to perform the ceremony.^[2]

In ancient times, people held domestic rites called Kinen-sai in the February or April and Niinamesai in November. During these rites, people worshiped their ancestors, the god of food, and the hearth deity. They believed the spirits of their ancestors (Oyagami) came to them through the rice.^[7]

Although agricultural in origin, it quickly developed into a general celebration of imperial power.^[3]^: 34Tribute was offered to the gods, and the ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, although the emperor did not participate. In the Heian period, the festival declined and was celebrated only in the Department of Divinities.^[2]

The festival was not longer celebrated in the late Muromachi period due to military conflict. It was revived in a form called sairō by Shirakawa house, the ruling clan of the Department of Divinities. But this form was abbreviated.

Kinen-sai was fully revived in the Meiji Restoration.^[2]

The Engishiki specified imperial involvement with four festivals, the Kinen-sai, the two Ōharae-shikis and Niiname-no-Matsuri for tribute.^[1]^: 36

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c This is an example name. There are three such festivals per year that celebrate the three most recent former emperors after the most recent former emperor.
^ This is an example name. The name changes as it celebrates the mother of the previous emperor.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Hardacre, Helen (2016-11-11). Shinto: A History (Illustrated ed.). New York (N.Y.): Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-062171-1.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Fujimori, Kaoru. "Kinensai". Kokugakuin University encyclopedia of shinto. Archived from the original on 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-03-14.
^ ^a ^b ^c "A New History of Shinto | Wiley". Wiley.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
^ "Kinen-sai (Ceremony for praying for the harvest), Tauchi-mai Shinji (Shinto rituals to pray for a good harvest for the year) | Samukawa-jinja Shrine". Samukawa-jinja Shrine Official Website. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
^ "Jinja-Honcho -CIVILIZATION OF THE DIVINE FOREST-". www.jinjahoncho.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
^ "Rites & Events｜Meiji Jingu". www.meijijingu.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
^ "Encyclopedia of Shinto詳細". 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-15.

[example-1] This is an example name. There are three such festivals per year that celebrate the three most recent former emperors after the most recent former emperor.

[example2-2] This is an example name. The name changes as it celebrates the mother of the previous emperor.

[Hardacre-2016-3] Hardacre, Helen (2016-11-11). Shinto: A History (Illustrated ed.). New York (N.Y.): Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-062171-1.

[Fujimori-4] Fujimori, Kaoru. "Kinensai". Kokugakuin University encyclopedia of shinto. Archived from the original on 2023-03-14. Retrieved 2023-03-14.

[Wiley.com-5] "A New History of Shinto | Wiley". Wiley.com. Retrieved 2023-11-10.

[6] "Kinen-sai (Ceremony for praying for the harvest), Tauchi-mai Shinji (Shinto rituals to pray for a good harvest for the year) | Samukawa-jinja Shrine". Samukawa-jinja Shrine Official Website. Retrieved 2023-05-13.

[7] "Jinja-Honcho -CIVILIZATION OF THE DIVINE FOREST-". www.jinjahoncho.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-11-01.

[8] "Rites & Events｜Meiji Jingu". www.meijijingu.or.jp. Retrieved 2023-11-01.

[9] "Encyclopedia of Shinto詳細". 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-04-15.

[a]

[b]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Japanese festival}}
-{{draft}}
+{{Japanese Imperial Rituals}}
-[[Kinensai]] is a festival that was celebrated every year in [[History of Japan|ancient Japan]] on February 4th. It was an important observance of the government. It was held to pray for a good harvest. [[Emperor Tenmu]] started the festival in 675 as a rite of the Japanese government. He required all the shrines recorded in the [[Jinmyochō]] to perform it.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/dummy.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=2023-03-14 |archive-date=2023-03-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314175906/https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/dummy.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
+{{nihongo|'''Kinen-sai'''|祈年祭|4=also read as Toshigoi no Matsuri}}<ref name="Hardacre-2016">{{Cite book |last=Hardacre |first=Helen |title=Shinto: A History |date=2016-11-11 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-062171-1 |edition=Illustrated |location=New York (N.Y.) |language=English}}</ref>{{rp|32}} is a harvest festival that was celebrated every year in [[History of Japan|ancient Japan]] on February 4.<ref name="Fujimori" /> It was held to pray for a good harvest,<ref name="Fujimori" /><ref name="Hardacre-2016" />{{rp|32}}<ref name="Wiley.com">{{Cite web |title=A New History of Shinto {{!}} Wiley |url=https://www.wiley.com/en-us/A+New+History+of+Shinto-p-9781405155151 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Wiley.com |language=en-us}}</ref>{{rp|33}} as reflected in its name.<ref name="Wiley.com" />{{rp|33}} It is sometimes contrasted with [[Niiname-no-Matsuri]] or the fall festival.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kinen-sai (Ceremony for praying for the harvest), Tauchi-mai Shinji (Shinto rituals to pray for a good harvest for the year) {{!}} Samukawa-jinja Shrine |url=https://samukawajinjya.jp/en/festival/kinen-tauchimai.html |access-date=2023-05-13 |website=Samukawa-jinja Shrine Official Website |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Hardacre-2016" />{{rp|72}}
+It is now celebrated yearly all across Japan<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jinja-Honcho -CIVILIZATION OF THE DIVINE FOREST- |url=https://www.jinjahoncho.or.jp/en/publications/invitation/index.html |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=www.jinjahoncho.or.jp}}</ref> including at [[Meiji Jingu]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rites & Events｜Meiji Jingu |url=https://www.meijijingu.or.jp/en/whattosee/rites/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |website=www.meijijingu.or.jp}}</ref> and [[Isonokami Shrine]].
-During the festival, tribute was offered to the gods, and the ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, but the emperor himself did not participate. In the Heian period, the festival became a mere formality and was celebrated solely within the [[Department of Divinities]], the body responsible for the governance of Shinto affairs by the government.<ref name=":0" />
+== History ==
-Later, the festival became more solemn and focused on worshipping [[Amaterasu|Amaterasu Ōmikami]], the sun goddess, and during the period of "[[Cloistered Emperor|cloistered emperors]]", it became a rite performed by the emperor himself to honor Amaterasu. Kinensai eventually became such a sacred ceremony that it would be canceled in case of any pollution at the Ise Shrines.<ref name=":0" />
+[[Emperor Tenmu]] started the festival in 675 AD. All shrines of the [[Engishiki Jinmyocho]] had to perform the ceremony.<ref name="Fujimori">{{Cite web |last=Fujimori |first=Kaoru |title=Kinensai |url=https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/?id=9300 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314175900/https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/?id=9300 |archive-date=2023-03-14 |access-date=2023-03-14 |website=[[Kokugakuin University]] encyclopedia of shinto}}</ref>
+In ancient times, people held domestic rites called Kinen-sai in the February or April and [[Niiname-no-Matsuri|Niinamesai]] in November. During these rites, people worshiped their ancestors, the god of food, and the hearth deity. They believed the spirits of their ancestors ([[Oyagami]]) came to them through the rice.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Encyclopedia of Shinto詳細 |url=https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/id=9664 |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=國學院大學デジタルミュージアム |language=ja}}</ref>
-However, the festival died out at the end of the Muromachi period due to military conflict. It was later revived in an abbreviated, irregular form called sairō by the Shirakawa house, which had inherited the position of head of the [[Department of Divinities]]. Kinensai was not reintroduced until the Meiji period in 1869.<ref name=":0" />
+Although agricultural in origin, it quickly developed into a general celebration of imperial power.<ref name="Wiley.com" />{{rp|34}}Tribute was offered to the gods, and the ceremony was attended by high-ranking officials, although the emperor did not participate. In the [[Heian period]], the festival declined and was celebrated only in the [[Department of Divinities]].<ref name="Fujimori" />
-It is sometimes contrasted with {{ill|Niiname-no-Matsuri|en}} or the fall festival.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kinen-sai (Ceremony for praying for the harvest), Tauchi-mai Shinji (Shinto rituals to pray for a good harvest for the year) {{!}} Samukawa-jinja Shrine|url=https://samukawajinjya.jp/en/festival/kinen-tauchimai.html|access-date=2023-05-13|website=Samukawa-jinja Shrine Official Website|language=en}}</ref>
-[[simple:Kinensai]]
+The festival was not longer celebrated in the late [[Muromachi period]] due to military conflict. It was revived in a form called ''sairō'' by Shirakawa house, the ruling clan of the [[Department of Divinities]]. But this form was abbreviated.
-[[ja:祈年祭]]
+Kinen-sai was fully revived in the [[Meiji Restoration]].<ref name="Fujimori" />
+The Engishiki specified imperial involvement with four festivals, the Kinen-sai, the two [[Ōharae-shiki]]s and [[Niiname-no-Matsuri]] for tribute.<ref name="Hardacre-2016" />{{rp|36}}
+==Notes==
+{{notelist}}
 ==References==
 {{reflist}}
-{{draft categories|
-[[Category:Japanese festivals]]
-[[Category:Japan]]
 [[Category:Festivals in Japan]]
 [[Category:Winter events in Japan]]
 [[Category:Japanese Imperial Rituals]]
+[[Category:Shinto festivals]]
-}}
+[[Category:February observances]]