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Monday May 29, 2:54 PMShinto objects at Imperial Palace moved ahead of anti-quake work(Kyodo) _ Sacred Shinto objects in the Imperial Palace's three main ritual rooms were moved to a temporary room Monday morning as the main rooms are to undergo anti-quake reinforcement work.It is the first time the objects have been moved from the main ritual rooms since 2004 when they were temporarily transferred while the rooms' vulnerability to quakes was checked. During the renovation, imperial family members will perform their regular rituals in the temporary room located inside the palace. On Monday, the "hosen-no-gi" ceremony was held to move the five sacred objects that symbolize imperial ancestors and various gods. The practice of moving the sacred objects is called "godoza." The objects were carried onto two "ohaguruma" portable shrines and three "okarahitsu" baskets. Led by a ritual conductor clad in white robes, servants and officials proceeded slowly, taking a little over 10 minutes until they reached the temporary ritual room as court musicians played Shinto tunes. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko did not join the procession, according to the Imperial Household Agency, but agency chief Shingo Haketa did take part. The sacred objects will be taken back to the three main ritual rooms in the same manner after the renovation is completed next March. The three main ritual rooms were built in 1888 during the Meiji period. The planned work, which will involve under-floor reinforcement and copper-roof replacement, is the first since the rooms were repaired in 1924 after being struck by the Great Kanto Earthquake the previous year. |
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