The Imperial Household Law of 1947 ( 皇室典範 , Kōshitsu Tenpan ) is a Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household .
88-579: Japanese Court rituals lit. Court rituals ( 宮中祭祀 , Kyūchū saishi , kana: きゅうちゅうさいし) are rituals performed by the Emperor of Japan for the purpose of praying for the nation and its people's peace and prosperity. Rituals are held at the Tokyo Imperial Palace and the Three Palace Sanctuaries and include the ' Grand Service' in which the emperor himself performs the rituals and delivers
176-712: A deity ). Following Japan's surrender, the Allies issued the Shinto Directive separating church and state within Japan. In 1946, Emperor Shōwa was forced to proclaim the Humanity Declaration , but the declaration excludes the word arahitogami ( 現人神 ) , including the unusual word akitsumikami ( 現御神 , living god) instead. As such, some experts doubt whether his divinity was renounced. Jean Herbert said it would be inadmissible to deny his divine origin. Emperor Shōwa
264-582: A ceremonial head of state without even nominal political powers. For example, the emperor is the head of the Japanese honors system , conferring orders, decorations, medals, and awards in the name of the state and on behalf of its people in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet. Since the mid-nineteenth century, the emperor and other members of the imperial family have resided at the Imperial Palace , located on
352-581: A cup to seal the marriage. After that, the ritual meal is served with chopsticks, and the ceremony ends. The Mikayo-no-Mochi-no-Gi is held in the bedroom to pray for the prosperity of one's descendants. Each of the four silver plates (three plates for non-Emperor and Crown Prince) is filled with the number of rice cakes (about the size of a Go stone) of the Queen's age, and the couple eats one from each plate. The rice cakes and plates are placed in an ebony box with mother-of-pearl inlays of Barn swallows and displayed in
440-513: A defected Kamakura general. The short three-year period during which the power was directly in the hand of the emperor is called the Kenmu Restoration . The direct ruling of the emperor proved however inefficient and ultimately failed, with Takauji grabbing political power for himself. In July 1853, Commodore Perry 's Black Ships of the US Navy made their first visit to Edo Bay . Japan lacked
528-512: A direct descendant of Amaterasu and of utmost importance in the Shinto religion and sentimental traditions. Thus no shogun tried to usurp the emperor, instead they tried to keep the emperor under control and away from politics. However, the emperor still had the power to "control time" via the Japanese Nengō which names eras on calendars after emperors. Imperial Household Law In 2017,
616-457: A kimono decorated with a waterfall design, while girls wore dark reddish-purple kosode and hakama of the same color. The ceremony is held following the Kimono Ceremony. In addition to the kimono and hakama worn in the ceremony, a child's kimono is worn in a separate room. The child stands on the board with a pine tree and a small branch of mountain tachibana, and after cutting the child's hair
704-739: A little, the child jumps down with a shout.。 After the completion of the Ceremony of the Hakama and the Fukasogi Ritual, the three halls of the Imperial Palace are visited. The Imperial Household Law states that the age of majority for the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Grandchildren is 18 (Article 22). In the Imperial Household Law , the age of majority for the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Grandchildren
792-508: A minister in order to take effect, thus passing political responsibility to the minister. By contrast, Japan is one of only two such sovereign states where the monarch is not even the nominal chief executive; the other is Sweden . Rather, Article 65 of the Constitution of Japan explicitly vests executive authority in the Cabinet , of which the prime minister is the leader. The emperor
880-531: A new bowl or chopsticks and fed to the child on the 100th–120th day after birth, in hopes that the child will grow up healthy. In reality, however, it is only an imitation of eating. This is called "Okitsuke" in general. When a child is five years old, he or she wears the hakama that was given to him or her during the ceremony of the Presentation of the Sword. Boys wore white silk hakama on top of "Ochitakizu no Gofuku",
968-622: A newborn child of the Imperial Family, joined by his or her parents, makes the first visit to the Three Palace Sanctuaries , starting at the Kashikodokoro, then the Koureiden, and lastly the Shinden, for the first time on the 50th day after birth. This is similar to Miyamairi , a traditional Shinto rite of passage in Japan for newborns. This is a ritual in which red bean porridge is prepared in
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#17328555193641056-452: A robe and cape recites a classical text (usually from the Nihon Shoki ), while a meigen yaku draws a bowstring with a shout. Depending on the situation, the bathing may only be imitated. This ceremony is held on the seventh day of the child's birth. The name of the child is written with a brush on a piece of Odakadan-gami paper, and a piece of Japanese paper on which the child's personal seal
1144-409: A safe delivery. In the case of Empress Masako , the Emperor presented her with a red and white silk sash, which was then delivered to the expectant female royal family member by a palace official sent by the sash's parent, followed by a Gochaku Shinken no Gi . The sash is then taken to the Three Palace Sanctuaries by the head priest for substitute worship on behalf of the couple. The obi is offered to
1232-431: A word of thanks to his parents as well. The emperor's marriage is called a big wedding in the old Imperial Family Order, but as of 2019, it has never taken place, as no one has married since 1910, when this was established, after he ascended the throne. This is a ceremony to mark the end of a marriage.。The male side does it to the female side. This is a rite of bestowing medals and swords. This ceremony takes place after
1320-481: Is 18 (Article 22), and there are no age regulations for other members of the Imperial Family. However, according to the Civil code , the ceremony is held when the person turns 20. The crown is then tied at the chin, and the ends of the cord are cut off. Then, a male member of the Imperial Family who has reached the age of majority steps before the Emperor and Empress to express his gratitude and resolve. The ceremony ends with
1408-511: Is a list of various rituals, and does not take the form of a list of court rituals alone. Disasters such as disease, epidemic, earthquake, fire, and other natural disasters were thought to be caused by god's possession, and were compared to Oni or feared as a god of plague. The divinities officer was in charge of the divinities rituals and was not under the jurisdiction of the Onmyodo dormitory. Various rituals are said to have been held, including
1496-623: Is also not the commander-in-chief of the Japan Self-Defense Forces . Instead, the Japan Self-Defense Forces Act of 1954 explicitly vests supreme command and control in the prime minister. Nevertheless, the emperor remains Japan's internationally recognized head of state. The emperor's fundamental role within the machinery of the Japanese constitution is to perform important representational functions as "…the symbol of
1584-479: Is an act of state. The new emperor makes a statement for the first time (under the old Imperial Household Law, this was called the "Asami Ceremony after Accession to the Throne". (Under the old Imperial Household Law, it was called the "Post-Joining Ceremony.) The ceremony is held in the main hall (Matsunoma) of the palace, with the emperor in formal attire and the empress in robe décolleté (middle-grade formal attire). For
1672-668: Is barred from making political statements. It is the emperor's preeminent constitutional duty to appoint the Prime Minister as designated by the Diet and the Chief Justice as designated by the Cabinet. However, the emperor does not have the authority to decline the nominations. The emperor's other responsibilities, laid down in Article 7 of the Constitution, concern the basic functioning of
1760-470: Is given to a number of competitions such as football, judo, volleyball, and the top division yūshō winner of a sumo tournament. Although the emperor has been a symbol of continuity with the past, the degree of power exercised by the emperor has varied considerably throughout Japanese history. According to the traditional account of the Nihon Shoki , Japan was founded by Emperor Jimmu 2683 years ago. However most modern scholars agree to regard Jimmu and
1848-468: Is necessary to sit upright for a long time, and when the ritual approaches, Emperor Showa consciously sits upright for a long time, such as watching TV in the seiza. It is said that he was keeping that in mind. It was said that Akihito was practicing seiza as well as Emperor Showa when the time of the Niiname-no-Matsuri approached, but after 2009 ( Heisei 21), 20 years after his reign, consideration for
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#17328555193641936-442: Is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan . The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power". The Imperial Household Law governs the line of imperial succession . Pursuant to his constitutional role as a national symbol, and in accordance with rulings by
2024-560: Is the only remaining monarch and head of state in the world who holds the title of Emperor . Most constitutional monarchies formally vest executive power in the reigning monarch in their capacity as the head of state, who in turn is bound by either convention or statute to act on the advice of ministers responsible to the duly elected parliament. Some monarchies, such as those in Belgium , Denmark , Spain and Thailand , codify this principle by requiring royal acts to be countersigned by
2112-480: Is written is placed in a paulownia box and placed at the child's bedside. The day after this ceremony, the child's name is recorded in the Imperial Records as an official member of the Imperial Family. This is the "Oshichiya" in general. At the same time and day as the naming ceremony, a worshiper informs Miyanaka Sanden of the birth and naming of a child of the Imperial Family. This is a Shinto ceremony in which
2200-501: The Utakai Hajime is the annual poetry reading competition convened by the emperor. The emperor is supported in this function by the empress and other members of the imperial family, who have honorary patronages of many associations and organisations. They travel extensively throughout the year within the country to uphold these roles. In sports, the Emperor's Cup (天皇賜杯, Tennō shihai )
2288-586: The shōguns , or their shikken regents in Kamakura (1203–1333), were the de facto rulers of Japan, although they were nominally appointed by the emperor. After the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the emperor was the embodiment of all sovereign power in the realm, as enshrined in the Meiji Constitution of 1889. Since the enactment of the 1947 constitution, the role of emperor has been relegated to that of
2376-523: The Constitution of the Empire of Japan and could only be amended by the Emperor . The revised statute is subordinate to the Constitution of Japan , which went into effect on May 3, 1947. It develops Chapter 1: Article 2 of the Constitution of Japan, which states: "The Imperial Throne shall be dynastic and succeeded to in accordance with the Imperial House Law passed by the Diet". The law was drafted by
2464-474: The Diet and thence to the electorate. Nevertheless, the emperor enjoys three rights in the conduct of state business: (a) the right to be consulted before acting on ministerial advice; (b) the right to encourage a given policy or course of administrative action; and (c) the right to warn the Cabinet against the same. In these respects, the emperor personifies the democratic state, sanctions legitimate authority, ensures
2552-536: The Emperor (the Emperor and the Imperial Family). Of these, ceremonies related to the Emperor can be divided into two categories: national acts as stipulated in Article 7 of the Japanese Constitution, and official acts that do not fall under this category. A ceremony held on the day of the dog, the ninth month of pregnancy, for female members of the Imperial Family who have conceived a child, to pray for
2640-718: The National Diet changed the law to enable the Emperor Akihito to abdicate within three years. With this change, he abdicated on 30 April 2019 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito on 1 May 2019. The Imperial Household Law was passed during the Shōwa era on January 16, 1947, by the last session of the Imperial Diet. This law superseded the Imperial Household Law of 1889, which had enjoyed co-equal status with
2728-927: The Norito at the Three Palace Sanctuaries and the Sages' Palace. The rituals of the second and third days are similar, but the ritual of the Imperial Bell and the performance of the Imperial Confession are not performed. The ceremony of descent to the vassalage before the Emperor, Empress and Dowager Empress. Emperor of Japan Naruhito [REDACTED] Fumihito [REDACTED] Shigeru Ishiba ( LDP ) Second Ishiba Cabinet ( LDP – Komeito coalition ) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] Fukushiro Nukaga Kōichirō Genba [REDACTED] Masakazu Sekiguchi Hiroyuki Nagahama Saburo Tokura Kazuo Ueda The Emperor of Japan
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2816-544: The Supreme Court of Japan , the emperor is personally immune from prosecution. By virtue of his position as the head of the Imperial House , the emperor is also recognized as the head of the Shinto religion, which holds him to be the direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu . According to tradition, the office of emperor was created in the 7th century BC, but the first historically verifiable emperors appear around
2904-591: The court ritual was enacted as one of the imperial decree . Rice cultivation is carried out in the rice fields in Miyagi, and after Emperor ShowaHe began to plant rice . the harvested rice is used as an offering during rituals. After the defeat of Japan in 1945 and under the postwar rule of the Allied Command , the Imperial Household Agency . The former Imperial Household Law , which had been separated from
2992-459: The government of Shigeru Yoshida , Prime Minister . The law had the effect of dramatically restricting membership in the Imperial Family to the Emperor Hirohito 's immediate family, his widowed mother, and the families of his three brothers. It abolished the collateral lines of the Imperial Family, the shinnōke and the ōke , which had traditionally been a pool of potential successors to
3080-438: The 19th century Meiji Restoration . The new law further restricted the succession to legitimate-born sons, grandsons, and male line descendants of an Emperor. Previously, an Emperor's sons and grandsons born by concubines and their male line descendants could succeed to the throne. Although Imperial chronologies include eight reigning empresses in the course of Japanese history, their successors were most often selected from amongst
3168-489: The 5th or 6th centuries AD . The role of the Emperor of Japan has historically alternated between a largely ceremonial symbolic role and that of an actual imperial ruler. Since the establishment of the first shogunate in 1192, the emperors of Japan have rarely taken on a role as supreme battlefield commander, unlike many Western monarchs . Japanese emperors have nearly always been controlled by external political forces, to varying degrees. For example, between 1192 and 1867,
3256-434: The 7th–8th centuries AD. The growth of the samurai class from the 10th century gradually weakened the power of the imperial family over the realm, leading to a time of instability. Emperors are known to have come into conflict with the reigning shogun from time to time. Some instances, such as Emperor Go-Toba 's 1221 rebellion against the Kamakura shogunate and the 1336 Kenmu Restoration under Emperor Go-Daigo , show
3344-410: The Emperor and Empress. A ceremony in which a child is born into the imperial family and the emperor gives the child a guardian sword for the purpose of protecting the child in the hope that the child will grow up healthy. The kotatana is wrapped in red brocade with a white wooden scabbard and placed in a paulownia box with the Emperor's crest, and entrusted to a messenger (imperial envoy) who receives
3432-527: The Emperor's wishes at the palace. In modern times, the Imperial Sword is subject to the Muzzle Act . A jar containing Placentas is buried in the ground. This was done at least until the birth of Takako Kiyomiya . This ceremony is held on the seventh day following the child's birth. The room is divided into two parts, and in one part, a maid gives the child a bath. In the other room, a tokusho yaku wearing
3520-627: The Empire, combining in Himself the rights of sovereignty", and he "exercises them, according to the provisions of the present Constitution". His rights included to sanction and promulgate laws, to execute them and to exercise "supreme command of the Army and the Navy". The liaison conference created in 1893 also made the emperor the leader of the Imperial General Headquarters . On Meiji's death in 1912 and
3608-532: The House of Representatives. Extra sessions usually convene in the autumn and are opened then. The Tennō is regarded as the foremost Shintō priest in terms of religion. This sacred duty dates back to the Niiname-sai (新嘗祭, "tasting of new rice") imperial harvest festival. In this ritual, the emperor presents newly gathered rice to the gods. The celebration is known as Daijōsai (大嘗祭, "Great Tasting") and takes place in
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3696-506: The Imperial Household Agency reversed its position and decided to allow researchers to enter some of the kofun with limited time and way. In the early 7th century, the emperor had begun to be called the " Son of Heaven " ( 天子 , tenshi , or 天子様 tenshi-sama ) . The title of emperor was borrowed from China, being derived from Chinese characters, and was retroactively applied to the legendary Japanese rulers who reigned before
3784-526: The Imperial Palace. This had a significant impact on the Rituals at the palace took on a more Shinto coloring.。On the other hand, Onmyodo path was authorized by the Tokugawa shogunate , and was converted to Shinto by Yasufuku Tsuchimikado as Tensha Shinto under the influence of Taruka Shinto. As Emperor Juntoku of the Kamakura period stated in "Shinto ritual " in "Shinto ritual", the emperor has given "Shinto ritual"
3872-660: The Plague God Festival, Chinka Festival, Wind God Festival, Great Purification, Miyagi Four Corners Plague God Festival, Fire Prevention Festival, and Hotarubetsu Festival.、 Onmyodo-do was developed in sorcery style based on the aristocratic society of the Heian period, and included Onmyodo elements in the Shinto rituals of the Ritsuryo system. The four corners of the capital were bounded (sacred and secular areas), and rituals were held at
3960-496: The Rite of Acceptance. The Wedding is a ceremony in which a man and a woman pay their respects to the wise men in the three halls of the palace. It is also known as a wedding ceremony in general. For more information, see Crown Prince Tokujin and Masako Owada's Marriage Ritual. This ceremony is held at home after the couple has returned home. Before the ceremonial meal, the queen and the royal family men, in that order, sip sake and share
4048-618: The Sages' Palace Ritual, each male member of the Imperial Family, each Minister of State , the Prime Minister , the Speaker of the House of Representatives , Speaker of the House of Councillors, and Supreme Court . The Emperor wears his normal dress and is preceded by the Chief of Ceremonies and the Director General of the Imperial Household Agency (Minister of the Imperial Household). This
4136-655: The Shinmae Festival during his tenure as prime minister, and he also attended the NHK Special "The True Face of the Symbolic Emperors" (broadcast on 10 April 2009, a program commemorating the 50th anniversary of the marriage of the Emperor and Empress), showed footage of the then Prime Minister Taro Aso and other heads of the three powers attending the Spring Imperial Service and Spring Temple Service. Since
4224-514: The State and of the unity of the People, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power." He is limited to performing "acts in matters of state" as delineated by the Constitution, without even nominal powers related to government . Moreover, said acts are only exercised in accordance with the binding advice and consent of the Cabinet , which is collectively responsible to
4312-572: The Taiho Code, the Sadakan Ceremony, and the Engi Ceremony . Along with the deification of the emperor as the " current god " and the separation of Shinto and Buddhism, the rituals that had been cut off were reconstructed and new rituals were created. In 1871 ( Meiji 4), a Daijo-kan's decree stating that "a shrine is a national ritual" was issued, and in 1908, the imperial ritual decree stipulating
4400-577: The accession of his son Taishō , who suffered from ill-health and various disabilities, many of these powers were assumed by the Imperial Diet in an era known as the Taishō Democracy . Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) was in power during the Pacific War ; he controlled both the sovereign of the state and the imperial forces. The role of the emperor as head of the State Shinto religion was exploited during
4488-430: The aging of Emperor Showa in the 1965s and 1950s . Until 1986), he continued the parent festival of Niiname-no-Matsuri. The 125th Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko were also extremely enthusiastic about the ritual, and except for the darkness (in mourning) and illness, they worshiped most of the court rituals without making a substitute. Regarding rituals, in addition to calling Kiyosai and Heian shōzoku in advance, it
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#17328555193644576-452: The ancient tombs known as kofun , constructed between the early 3rd century and the early 7th century AD. However, since the Meiji period , the Imperial Household Agency has refused to open the kofun to the public or to archaeologists, citing their desire not to disturb the spirits of the past emperors. Kofun period artefacts were also increasingly crucial in Japan as the Meiji government used them to reinforce their authority. In 2016,
4664-407: The bedroom for three days, and on the fourth day, they are buried in a direction that brings good luck. The Wedding reception is a feast held over several days. A wedding reception in general. The couple reports their marriage to the Ise Grand Shrine in Ise, Mie Prefecture . The first day of the ceremony was the first day of the Kensho . In other words, at the same time as the First Day of
4752-404: The call of sonnō jōi ("revere the emperor, expel the barbarians"). The domains of Satsuma and Chōshū , historic enemies of the Tokugawa, used this turmoil to unite their forces and won an important military victory outside of Kyoto against Tokugawa forces. On 9 November 1867, the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu formally stepped down to restore Emperor Meiji to nominal full power. He issued
4840-488: The emperor with great symbolic authority, but little political power, to the pope , and the shōgun to secular European rulers (e.g., the Holy Roman emperor ). In keeping with the analogy, they even used the term "emperor" in reference to the shōguns and their regents, e.g. in the case of Toyotomi Hideyoshi , whom missionaries called "Emperor Taico-sama" (from Taikō and the honorific sama ). A Dutch embassy report used similar terminology in 1691. Empress Go-Sakuramachi
4928-472: The emperor. The official website of the Imperial Household Agency explains the court ritual in the section "Public affairs of the Imperial Household Agency"。 In addition the prime minister and other heads of the three branches of government have been confirmed to attend some rituals, mainly the Grand Festival. Eisaku Sato attended most of the Spring Imperial Rei Festival and Spring Temple Festival, Autumn Imperial Rei Festival and Autumn Temple Festival, and
5016-486: The emperors, who were still the source of sovereignty, although they could not exercise their powers independently from the shogunate. During the major part of 1192 to 1867, political sovereignty of the state was exercised by the shōguns or their shikken regents (1203–1333), whose authority was conferred by Imperial warrant. When Portuguese explorers first came into contact with the Japanese (see Nanban period ), they described Japanese conditions in analogy, likening
5104-414: The establishment of the court ritual as an institution, Emperor Meiji and Emperor Taisho were not very enthusiastic, and the chamberlains were the main worshipers. On the other hand, Empress Teimei, Emperor Showa, and Empress Kojun were very enthusiastic. It can be seen from the diary that Sukemasa Irie, who was a samurai servant in the latter half of his reign, promoted the simplification of rituals due to
5192-468: The fifth month of pregnancy, an internal dressing is performed. But it is not a formal ceremony. In the case of the Crown Princess, she wears a very light indigo daily cloth and a bright scarlet Hakama , and the Chief of the Household of the Crown Prince carries the Obi presented by the Empress into the room. The Crown Prince, dressed in a morning gown and led by a maid of honor, enters, and the couple sits in chairs facing each other. The maid of honor places
5280-401: The first time since the accession to the throne, the emperor gives a morning visit to his subjects and presents them with the imperial message. This is followed by the Prime Minister's address (renamed the "Address of the People's Representative" in the 2019 Post-Accession Asami Ceremony). The first day's ritual is held immediately after the accession to the throne, and the chief priest performs
5368-434: The first year after the emperor's accession to the throne. The historical text Nihonshoki , written in the year 720, has the first mention of this ceremony, whose beginnings are believed to date back even further. The event evolved through time to become the Day of Thanksgiving for Labour, a recognized official holiday today. The office of the emperor is also cultural bearer and steward of tradition and culture. For example,
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#17328555193645456-455: The former Imperial Household Ordinances. There is no explicit provision for court rituals in the Constitution of Japan or its subordinate laws, and current court rituals are conducted in accordance with the Imperial Household Rituals Ordinance. The budget for this is also handled by the Imperial Household's internal expenses. For this reason, some constitutional scholars have interpreted postwar court rituals as "ceremonies performed privately by
5544-409: The former site of Edo Castle in the heart of Tokyo , the current capital of Japan. Earlier, emperors resided in Kyoto , the ancient capital, for nearly eleven centuries. The Emperor's Birthday (currently 23 February) is a national holiday. Naruhito is the current emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito , on 1 May 2019. He
5632-407: The four corners of the capital and the four corners of the Miyagi Castle to pray for the safety and peace of the world. The Onmyōji persecution by Toyotomi Hideyoshi began, driving Onmyōji who made their living as prayers and divinations to the provinces, and they quickly lost power, and people calling themselves Onmyōji, which was far greater than the number of official Onmyōji in OnmyōRituals at
5720-435: The future size of the Imperial Family, and thus the financial burden on the state. The chapters of the Imperial Household Law addresses the following: Chapter 1: Article 1 of the Imperial Household Law states: "The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by a male offspring in the male line belonging to the Imperial Lineage". The line of succession is detailed in Article 2 as: Matters relating to regency and membership of
5808-436: The health of elderly Akihito. To reduce the burden, simplification and adjustment of rituals were planned and implemented. Those in bold are the major festivals. Attendants are required to wear Morning coat and Afternoon dress in western style, and white-necked montsuki or similar in Japanese style. During the winter, cloaks may be worn. Ritual Ceremonies of the Imperial Palace describes various Rituals related to
5896-399: The highest priority since Hagoku. Four-way worship is an event that has been handed down to successive emperors since before the Edo period . In the middle and late Edo period there was a growing theory of sonnō based on Mitogaku, and the revival of rituals such as the Niiname -no-Matsuri became popular. Many of the rituals held today were reorganized during the Meiji Restoration, inheriting
5984-408: The imperial decree of constitutionalism on 14 April 1875. The Meiji Constitution was adopted on 11 February 1889. The emperor of Japan became an active ruler with considerable political power over foreign policy and diplomacy which was shared with an elected Imperial Diet . The Japanese subjects gained many rights and duties. The constitution described the emperor (in Article 4) as: "the head of
6072-420: The imperial proclamation, and the Minor Service in which the chief priests (shosokuji) and others perform the rituals and the emperor pays homage. The other is the Minor Festival in which the chief priests (shosoten-ji) conduct the ceremony and the emperor pays his respects. Since the establishment of the Ritsuryo system , the formalization of rituals has progressed, and is summarized in the Engishiki . This
6160-410: The legality of his official acts, and guarantees the execution of the public will. These functions, when considered altogether, serve two purposes: foremost, to uphold the continuity and stability of Japanese democracy; and second, to foster a shared national identity and cultural heritage that transcends party politics. In order to maintain his institutional neutrality as Japan's national symbol, he
6248-439: The males of the paternal Imperial bloodline, which is why some conservative scholars argue that the women's reigns were temporary and that male-only succession tradition must be maintained in the 21st century. Empress Genmei (661–721), who was followed on the throne by her daughter, Empress Genshō (680–748), remains the sole exception to this conventional argument. In addition, the law contained numerous mechanisms to regulate
6336-516: The military and industrial power to prevent it. Unequal treaties coerced and took advantage of Japan. Consequently, Japan was forcibly opened to foreign trade and the shogunate proved incapable of hindering the "barbarian" interlopers; Emperor Kōmei thus began to assert himself politically. By the early 1860s, the relationship between the Imperial Court and the shogunate was changing radically. Disaffected domains and rōnin began to rally to
6424-548: The national government, was abolished when the Constitution of Japan came into effect, and the fully revised Imperial Household Law became a general law. In conjunction with this, the prewar Imperial Household Ordinances, such as the Imperial Rituals Ordinance, were all abolished at one time, but the Imperial Household Agency issued an internal circular confirming that "matters for which no new explicit provisions have been made shall be implemented in accordance with
6512-458: The nine first emperors as mythical. Emperor Sujin , the 10th emperor, may have been a real historical figure. The emperors from Emperor Ōjin are considered as perhaps factual. As one argument, the reign of Emperor Kinmei ( c. 509 –571 AD), the 29th emperor, is the first for whom contemporary historiography is able to assign verifiable dates. Archaeological information about the earliest historical rulers of Japan may be contained in
6600-526: The obi over the queen's hakama and makes a loose bow knot in front, which the queen herself ties. After the couple leaves and the ceremony is complete, a member of the Togu staff dressed in formal mourning attire says a few words of congratulations, and then the Director General of the Imperial Household Agency delivers the "Onshukushi. The couple will have lunch at the Imperial Palace in the afternoon and report to
6688-689: The palace took on a more Shinto coloring.ryō at the time, flowed throughout the country. During the Sengoku era Persecution, even the Tsuchimikado family lost many of their Onmyōdō traditions and ritual implements. The Altar of the Taizanfukunsai, the most important "Great Law" of Onmyōdō, was also lost, and the ritual instruments were borrowed from the Yoshida Shrine in Kyoto for the ground-breaking ceremony of
6776-597: The people, rather than be treated like a god or robot. Inoue believes that during his reign, he transformed the symbolic role of emperor into a human being. In March 2019, the Mainichi reported 87% thought Akihito fulfilled his role as symbol of the state. On 30 April 2019, Emperor Akihito abdicated due to health issues and Heisei era ended. The previous time abdication occurred was Emperor Kōkaku in 1817. Akihito's eldest son, Naruhito ascended on 1 May 2019, referred to as Kinjō Tennō and Reiwa era started. In 1947
6864-407: The position of Tennō (emperor). Rather it is the emperor's symbolic and religious power of authority. Since the Kamakura shogunate , the emperor held de jure ownership of the realm. Throughout most of medieval Japan, the shogun 's legitimate authority was based on being appointed and receiving the power from the emperor even though the shogun was the de facto ruler. The emperor was considered
6952-420: The post-war Constitution of Japan ( 日本国憲法 , Nihonkoku-Kenpō ) became law when it received the emperor's assent on 3 November 1946. It provides for a parliamentary system of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights. Under its terms, the emperor of Japan is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people" and exercises a purely ceremonial role without the possession of sovereignty. It
7040-818: The power struggle between the Imperial Court in Kyoto and the military governments of Japan. There have been seven non-imperial families who have controlled Japanese emperors: the Soga (530s–645), the Fujiwara (850s–1070), the Taira (1159–1180s), the Minamoto (1192–1199), the Hōjō (1199–1333), the Ashikaga (1336–1565), and the Tokugawa (1603–1867). However, every shogun from the Minamoto, Ashikaga, and Tokugawa families had to be officially recognized by
7128-683: The state. To this end, the emperor, on behalf of the Japanese people: Regular ceremonies of the emperor with a constitutional basis are the Imperial Investitures (Shinninshiki) in the Tokyo Imperial Palace and the Speech from the Throne ceremony in the House of Councillors in the National Diet Building . The latter ceremony opens ordinary and extra sessions of the Diet. Ordinary sessions are opened each January and also after new elections to
7216-428: The temple at the end of each of the three halls, and a prayer of congratulations is said. This series of ceremonies is called Kashikokoro Kourei-den Shin-den ni Chakutai Hokoku no Gi . After the ceremony, the sash is delivered again by the attendant, and the crown prince in his morning clothes ties the sash on the queen, who is dressed in daily daily daily cloth and Hakama , with the help of the attendant. In addition, in
7304-450: The throne if the main imperial family failed to produce an heir. The fifty-one members of the eleven cadet branches renounced their Imperial status; and they were formally removed from the Imperial household register and became ordinary citizens on October 14, 1947. The new law retained the principle of agnatic succession enshrined in the 1889 law and Prussian-influenced constitution during
7392-513: The war, creating an Imperial cult that led to kamikaze bombers and other manifestations of fanaticism . This in turn led to the requirement in the Potsdam Declaration for the elimination "for all time of the authority and influence of those who have deceived and misled the people of Japan into embarking on world conquest". In State Shinto, the emperor was believed to be an arahitogami ( 現人神 ) (manifest kami or incarnation of
7480-450: Was drawn up under the Allied occupation that followed World War II and changed Japan's previous Prussian-style Meiji Constitution that granted the emperor theoretically unlimited powers. The liberal constitution was inspired by several European states. Currently, it is a rigid document and the oldest unamended constitution. Historically, territorial designations are not a requirement for
7568-460: Was excluded from the postwar Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal . Scholars dispute the power he had and the role he played during WWII. Emperor Shōwa's reign from 1926 until his death in 1989 makes him the longest-lived and longest-reigning historical Japanese emperor, and one of the longest-reigning monarchs in the world . The Emperors of Japan have not visited Yasukuni Shrine since 1978. Hirohito maintained an official boycott of Yasukuni Shrine after it
7656-599: Was revealed to him that Class-A war criminals had secretly been enshrined. The boycott was continued by his son and grandson, Akihito and Naruhito . By 1979, Emperor Shōwa was the only monarch in the world with the monarchical title " emperor ." Emperor Shōwa was the longest-reigning historical monarch in Japan's history and the world's longest reigning monarch until surpassed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand in July 2008. According to journalist Makoto Inoue of The Nikkei , Emperor Emeritus Akihito wanted to be closer to
7744-468: Was the last ruling empress of Japan and reigned from 1762 to 1771. During the Sakoku period of 1603 to 1868, there was very limited trade between Japan and foreigners. The Dutch were the only westerners who had limited access to Japan. Emperor Go-Daigo succeeded in 1333 to get back the direct authority directly to the emperor after overthrowing the Kamakura shogunate , with the help of Ashikaga Takauji ,
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