EXCLUSIVE: Some Facilities for “Daijosai” Imperial Ceremony to Be Scaled Down

December 13, 2018

Tokyo--The Imperial Household Agency plans to scale down "Omi-no-Akusha" makeshift facilities in the "Daijosai" ceremony related to Crown Prince Naruhito's enthronement next year from those used in the last such ceremony 30 years ago, informed sources told Jiji Press on Thursday.

Omi-no-Akusha facilities will be set up for use by male members of the Imperial Family during Daijosai, in which a new Emperor prays for good harvests and peace for the country and its people.

The plan to reduce the size of the facilities reflects a fall in the number of male Imperial Family members, as well as efforts to cut the costs of holding the ceremony, according to the sources.

The plan is expected to be formally adopted at the third meeting of a government panel for a series of Imperial succession-related ceremonies as early as next week.

The last Daijosai ceremony, for incumbent Emperor Akihito, was held in November 1990, after he acceded to the throne in January 1989 following the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa.

For the 1990 ceremony, the "Daijokyu" complex of about 30 structures, including "Yukiden" and "Sukiden," was built at a 100-meter square area within the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

These temporary structures will also be set up for the next ceremony, scheduled for Nov. 14-15, 2019, after Crown Prince Naruhito assumes the throne on May 1 the same year. Omi-no-Akusha facilities will be installed south of Yukiden and Sukiden in smaller size than for the previous ceremony, the sources said.

Only two male Imperial Family members--Prince Akishino, the second son of the current Emperor, and Prince Hitachi, the younger brother of the Emperor--are slated to attend the forthcoming ceremony, down from six, including the two and Crown Prince Naruhito, in the previous Daijosai.

After Crown Prince Naruhito's enthronement, Prince Akishino will be first in line to the throne, given the title of "koshi," or the first heir.

The number of guests for the 2019 ceremony is set to fall, by about 200 to some 700.

Meanwhile, costs related to the previous event totaled some 2.25 billion yen. For the 2019 event, the agency is eager to reduce expenses, in the face of rises in building material prices and labor costs.

The Daijokyu structures will be disassembled after the ceremony. Plans are under study for reusing building materials for the facilities, the sources said, noting that one idea is donating them to national parks.

Emperor Akihito is scheduled to step down on April 30 next year, the day before Crown Prince Naruhito's enthronement. In Japan, no succession from a living Emperor has taken place for about 200 years. Jiji Press