20年に一度「 山口祭」伊勢神宮(内宮)・令和7年5月2日・’Yamaguchi-sai’ at Ise Grand Shrine: Held only once every 20 Years!

20年に一度「 山口祭」伊勢神宮(内宮)・令和7年5月2日・’Yamaguchi-sai’ at Ise Grand Shrine: Held only once every 20 Years!

We have returned to the Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine (Naikū) on this wet and blustery morning to watch an event that is held only once every 20 years. We are entering the shrine via the Uji Bridge (Ujihashi), which crosses the Isuzu River. According to the Shinto religion, this bridge represents the divide between the sacred world and the mundane world. The Inner Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine (Naikū) is considered to be the most venerable shrine in the Shinto religion. This priest is carrying a plant known as a ‘sakaki’ (cleyera Japonica). It is shaken over people and objects to purify them. A drum is beaten to announce the commencement of ceremonies that take place at Ise Grand Shrine. This ritual is known as “Hōko”. Today’s ceremony is called “Yamaguchi-sai”, the Yamaguchi (mouth of the mountain) Festival. It is an event that is held once every 20 years. Over the next 8 years, 33 events will be held to prepare for the “Shikinen Sengū” ceremony, in which the buildings of Ise Grand Shrine will be rebuilt. “Yamaguchi-sai” is the first of these 33 events, and is held to pray for the safety of logging work. Prayers are offered to the Shinto deity residing at the entrance to Mt. Misoma (in Nagano Prefecture) for the safe felling and transportation of the timber. This part of the festival is a purification ritual Here, a ‘sakaki’ plant is being shaken to purify the priests before entering the Torii gate. A second priest sprinkles salt, also for purification. The procession will first proceed to the Inner Sanctuary (Shogū) to offer prayers. After worship at the shrine, a ritual called “Monoimi” will be held, in which children cut vegetation with sickles. A similar ceremony to this one will be held at the Outer Shrine of Ise Grand Shrine (Gekū), starting at noon today. This long procession is made up not only of Shinto priests from Ise Grand Shrine (dressed in white), but also artisans (dressed in blue) involved in the building of the shrine buildings. Flanked by Shinto priests are a young girl and a young boy, both of whom will participate in the ceremony.

20年に一度社殿を新しく造りかえる「式年遷宮」に向けて、一連の祭事の皮切りとなる「山口祭」が執り行われました。「山口祭」では御用材の伐採作業の安全を祈願しました。

Once every 20 years, Ise Grand Shrine holds a “Shikinen Sengū” ceremony, in which the shrine buildings are rebuilt. In the run-up to the next Shikinen Sengū in 2033, 33 festivals and events will be held. To mark the beginning of this process, today’s festival, “Yamaguchi-sai” (The Yamaguchi Festival), is held to pray for the safety of logging work. This video was filmed at the Inner Shrine (Naikū) on the morning of May 2, 2025.

#japanesefestival #伊勢神宮 #祭り