Niiname-no-Matsuri

The Niiname-sai (新嘗祭, also read Shinjō-sai and Niiname-no-Matsuri) is a Japanese harvest ritual.

The ritual is celebrated by the Emperor of Japan, who thanks the Shinto deities for a prosperous year and prays for a fruitful new year. It takes place in the imperial palace and several large Shinto shrines. The first Niiname-sai for a new emperor is known as the Daijō-sai (大嘗祭), and is part of his enthronement ceremonies.

In pre-modern Japan, the date of the Niiname-sai was moveable, taking place on the last Day of the Rabbit of the eleventh month of the old Japanese lunar calendar, but in the Meiji period the date was fixed at November 23, and this date became a national holiday, Labor Thanksgiving Day, in the Shōwa period after World War II.

Ceremony

During the Niiname-sai, an ancient Shinto ritual that says thanks for the crops of the previous year[1] and prays for fruitfulness in the following year,[1] the Emperor of Japan says thanks to the gods of heaven and earth.[1] It is held in the Imperial Palace,[1] as well as Ise Grand Shrine[1] and Izumo Shrine.[1]

Date

Traditionally, it was held on the last Day of the Rabbit in the eleventh month of the old lunar calendar.[1]

Since the Meiji era the date has been fixed on November 23,[1] which corresponds to the modern public holiday Labor Thanksgiving Day,[1] which was introduced in 1948.

As a kigo, the name of the ritual is associated with winter.[2]

Name

Niiname-sai is the common name of the festival, but the same kanji can also be read Jinshō-sai[1] or Niiname-no-Matsuri.[1] Niiname can also be read Niinae, Niinai, Niwanai, Niwanami or Nyūnami.[3]

The first Niiname-sai following the accession of a new emperor is called the Daijō-sai (大嘗祭, also read Ōname-Matsuri and Ōnie-no-Matsuri).[4]

In literature

Book 19 of the Man'yōshū includes six poems (numbered 4273 to 4278) composed on the 25th day of the eleventh month of 752, the "Niiname-kai poems".[3] The "nyūnami" is alluded to in one of the azuma-uta (songs of eastern Japan) included in Book 14.[3]

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References
  1. Britannica Kokusai Dai-Hyakkajiten 2014.
  2. Digital Daijisen 1998a.
  4. Digital Daijisen 1998.

Works cited
  • "Niiname-sai". Britannica Kokusai Dai-Hyakkajiten (in Japanese). Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. 2014. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  • "Shinjō-sai". Daijisen (in Japanese). Shogakukan. 1998. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
  • "Daijō-sai". Daijisen (in Japanese). Shogakukan. 1998. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
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