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37-457: The Three Sacred Treasures ( 三種の神器 , Sanshu no Jingi/Mikusa no Kamudakara ) are the imperial regalia of Japan and consist of the sword Kusanagi no Tsurugi ( 草薙劍 ) , the mirror Yata no Kagami ( 八咫鏡 ) , and the jewel Yasakani no Magatama ( 八尺瓊勾玉 ) . They represent the three primary virtues : valour (the sword), wisdom (the mirror), and benevolence (the jewel). The actual historical status of these legendary treasures

74-624: A few years. Senior officials within the Imperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. A potential abdication by the Emperor would require an amendment to the Imperial Household Law , which has no provisions for such a move. On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health; this address

111-612: A plan called a "basic policy statement," would be released on 3 April. Official farewell celebrations began with a 30th Jubilee ceremony on 12 February 2019, a delay which would avoid any implication of a celebration of the death of the Emperor Shōwa on 7 January. The government consolidated the Golden Week into a special ten-day holiday block lasting from 27 April to 6 May. Even without the imperial transition, 29 April and 3–6 May were scheduled as national holidays in 2019, following

148-463: A royal funeral. Such objects, with or without intrinsic symbolism , can include Apart from the sovereign himself, attributes (especially a crown) can be used for close relatives who are allowed to share in the pomp. For example, in Norway, the queen consort and the crown prince are the only other members of the royal family to possess these attributes and share in the sovereign's royal symbolism. In

185-603: A symbol that the emperor should unite the ethnic groups without discrimination. Regalia The term can refer to the rights , prerogatives , and privileges that are held exclusively by any sovereign, regardless of title ( emperor , grand duke , etc.). An example of that is the right to mint coins, and especially coins that bear one's own effigy . In many cases, especially in feudal societies and generally weak states , such rights have in time been eroded by grants to, or usurpations by, lesser vassals . Some emblems , symbols , or paraphernalia possessed by rulers are

222-688: A university degree (or similar), or hold a status that entitles them to assume them (e.g., undergraduate students at certain old universities). It is also known as academicals and, in the United States, as academic regalia. Another example of non-royal regalia is the traditional dress that is worn by Native American peoples in the United States, and First Nations peoples in Canada for ceremonial purposes, such as powwow and hoop dancing . 2019 Japanese imperial transition The 2019 Japanese imperial transition occurred on 30 April 2019 when

259-620: A visual representation of imperial , royal , or sovereign status. Some are shared with divinities , either to symbolize a god(ess)'s role as, say, king of the Pantheon (e.g. Brahman 's scepter) or to allow mortal royalty to resemble, identify with, or link to, a divinity . The term " crown jewels " is commonly used to refer to regalia items that are designed to lend luster to occasions such as coronations. They feature some combination of precious materials, artistic merit, and symbolic or historical value. Crown jewels may have been designated at

296-547: Is expected from the holder. Thus the Imperial Regalia of Japan ( Japanese : 三種の神器 , romanized :  Sanshu no Jingi , or "Three Sacred Treasures"), also known as the Three Sacred Treasures of Japan as follows: Since 690, the presentation of these items to the emperor by the priests at the shrine are a central part of the imperial enthronement ceremony. As this ceremony is not public,

333-427: Is his brother's heir presumptive . The ceremony cost 16.6 billion Yen. In 2010, Emperor Akihito informed his advisory council that he would eventually like to retire from his position. However, no action was taken by senior members of the Imperial Household Agency . On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster NHK reported that the Emperor wished to abdicate in favour of his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito , within

370-511: Is unknown as they are intentionally kept from public view to symbolize authority. Representations of the regalia are used in masakaki in many Shinto rituals. According to legend, these treasures were brought to Earth by Ninigi-no-Mikoto , legendary ancestor of the Japanese imperial line , when his grandmother, the sun goddess Amaterasu , sent him to pacify Japan. These treasures were eventually said to be passed down to Emperor Jimmu , who

407-530: The Roman Empire , the color Tyrian purple , produced with an extremely expensive Mediterranean mollusk extract , was in principle reserved for the imperial court . The use of this dye was extended to various dignitaries, such as members of the Roman senate , who wore stripes of Tyrian purple on their white togas , for whom the term purpuratus was coined as a high aulic distinction. In late imperial China,

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444-603: The Taira clan . They were present when the Taira were defeated by the rival Minamoto clan at the Battle of Dan-no-ura , which was fought on boats in the shallow Kanmon Straits . Although there are a some medieval texts relating to the loss of the sword, which variously contended that a replica was forged afterwards, or that the lost sword itself was a replica, or even that the sword was returned to land by supernatural forces; replicas of

481-769: The Three Palace Sanctuaries in Kōkyo (the Imperial Palace in Tokyo ), and the mirror is located at the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture . Their first post- World War II enthronement appearance occurred during the accession and enthronement of Akihito in 1989 and 1990. Aside from their presence during the abdication of Akihito on 30 April 2019, their latest appearance occurred during

518-580: The prime minister , the speaker and vice-speaker of the House of Representatives , the president and vice-president of the House of Councillors , the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency , the chief justice and one justice of the Supreme Court , and two members of the Imperial family . Fumihito, Prince Akishino , the Emperor's younger son, asked to recuse himself as he would become

555-654: The sokutai and Empress Masako wore the jūnihitoe . They took their places on the 6.5-metre (21-foot) Takamikura throne at the Matsu-no-Ma (Pine Hall), and the Emperor gave a speech which emphasized his role as the symbol of the State. The speech then followed by a congratulatory speech by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and three cheers of banzai . The ceremony was attended by representatives of around 174 countries, including foreign royalties, heads of state and government. A state banquet hosted by Emperor Naruhito himself

592-517: The cave, Amaterasu was so started by her reflection in the mirror that it gave the gods an opportunity to extract her. Susanoo later presented the sword Kusanagi to Amaterasu as a token of apology; he had obtained it from the body of an eight-headed serpent, Yamata no Orochi . At the conclusion of the Genpei War in 1185, the six-year-old Emperor Antoku and the Regalia were under the control of

629-482: The changeover from a period of mourning and makeshift ceremonial into a joyous, well-planned festival. Finally, on 8 December 2017, the government created a special committee to oversee the events. According to Suga, it would "deal with the matter properly, taking into consideration the possible impact on the people's lives." The committee met for the first time in January 2018, and the following month announced that

666-476: The color sparingly. In republics, the presidential sash , common especially in Latin American countries but appearing elsewhere in the world as well, has a role similar to that of royal regalia: distinguishing the head of state . Academic dress is a traditional form of clothing for academic settings, primarily tertiary (and sometimes secondary) education, worn mainly by those who have been admitted to

703-539: The color yellow was reserved for the emperor, as it had a multitude of meanings. Yellow was a symbol of gold, and thus wealth and power, and since it was also the color that symbolized the center in Chinese cosmology (the five elements, or wu xing(五行) ), it was the perfect way to refer to the emperor, who was always in the center of the universe. Consequently, peasants and noblemen alike were forbidden to wear robes made entirely out of yellow, although they were allowed to use

740-586: The constitutional nature of the abdication. On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by the Cabinet of Japan . On 8 June 2017, the National Diet passed it into law, permitting the government to begin arranging the process of handing over the position to Crown Prince Naruhito . This meant the Imperial Household Law was changed for the first time since 1949. The abdication officially occurred on 30 April 2019. He received

777-504: The enthronement of Emperor Naruhito . He formally took possession of the regalia in a brief ceremony on 1 May 2019. The items themselves were never revealed during these public occasions as they remained shrouded from view in packages or boxes. When these items are not being used for their ceremonial purpose, their supposed locations are kept off limits to the public. Mikael Adolphson , a professor at Cambridge University, stated that this hidden strategy "adds mystique, and thus, authority, to

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814-458: The new era's name in advance to produce wares in a timely manner. While the era names for the Shōwa and Heisei eras were kept state secrets until the deaths of the previous emperors, that was not possible in this case, because an abdication had been unprecedented since the 1889 Meiji Constitution was adopted. In order to prevent divisive debate on the subject, delaying the announcement as late as

851-497: The next Crown Prince. He was replaced by Masahito, Prince Hitachi , the Emperor's 82-year-old younger brother. The other member of the imperial family was Hitachi's wife, Hanako, Princess Hitachi . Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the date was chosen to permit the old Emperor to be able to preside over the 30th anniversary Jubilee and to coincide with the Golden Week annual holiday period, turning

888-456: The objects." He went on to say that Shinto religious tradition is "especially protective" of its symbols. There is a general reluctance in Japan to allow a historical analysis of the regalia as such an assessment could potentially "de-mythologize" the items. Scholars consider the imperial regalia to represent the fusion of Japan's ancient indigenous groups with new arrivals. The three treasures are

925-573: The presentation of these items to the Emperor by the priests at the shrine has been a central element of the enthronement ceremony . This ceremony is not public, and these items are by tradition seen only by the Emperor and certain priests. While their actual locations are not confirmed, it is commonly thought that the sword is located at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya , the jewel is located at

962-430: The regalia are by tradition only seen by the emperor and certain priests, and no known photographs or drawings exist. Some regalia objects are presented and/or used in the formal ceremony of enthronement / coronation . They can be associated with an office or court sinecure (cfr. archoffices) that enjoys the privilege to carry, present and/or use it at the august occasion, and sometimes on other formal occasions, such as

999-496: The start of a dynasty, accumulated through many years of tradition, or sent as tangible recognition of legitimacy by some leader such as the pope to an emperor or caliph . Each culture, even each monarchy and dynasty within one culture, may have its own historical traditions, and some even have a specific name for its regalia, or at least for an important subset, such as: But some elements occur in many traditions. Regalia can also stand for other attributes or virtues, i.e. what

1036-616: The sword and mirror were actually made as early as the 9th century, and the original sword is considered entrusted to Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya . The importance of the Imperial Regalia to Japan is evident from the declarations made by Emperor Hirohito to Kōichi Kido on 25 and 31 July 1945 at the end of World War II , when he ordered the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Japan to protect them "at all costs". Since 690,

1073-667: The then 85-year-old Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated from the Chrysanthemum Throne after reigning for 30 years, becoming the first Emperor of Japan to do so since Emperor Kōkaku in 1817. This marked the end of the Heisei era and the inception of the Reiwa era , and saw numerous festivities leading up to the accession of his eldest son and successor, Emperor Naruhito . The Enthronement Ceremony took place on 22 October 2019. Akihito's younger son, Prince Akishino ,

1110-551: The title of Jōkō ( 上皇 , Emperor Emeritus) , an abbreviation of Daijō Tennō ( 太上天皇 ) , upon abdicating, and his wife, the Empress, became Jōkōgō ( 上皇后 , Empress Emerita) . On 1 December 2017, the Imperial Household Council , which had not met in 24 years, did so in order to schedule the ceremonies involved in the first such transfer of power in two centuries. The Imperial Household Council consists of

1147-629: The weekend of 27–28 April. To mark the imperial transition, the government determined that the abdication and enthronement would both be national holidays. Japanese law states that a regular work day sandwiched between two national holidays becomes a public holiday. Since the Meiji Restoration in 1867, a new Japanese era starts the day after the death of the previous emperor. However, in Emperor Akihito's case, manufacturers of calendars, forms, and other paper products needed to know

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1184-605: Was Syria ). The ceremony began at 9 am JST (02:00 UTC ) with the private Kashikodokoro-Ōmae-no-gi ( 賢所大前の儀 ) ritual when the Emperor, dressed in white traditional court wear, visited the Kashiko-dokoro, the main sanctuary in the Tokyo Imperial Palace where the Sun Goddess is said to be enshrined. At 1 pm JST (06:00 UTC ), the main portion of the ceremony began. Emperor Naruhito wore

1221-675: Was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate. With the intention of the abdication now known, the Cabinet Office appointed Yasuhiko Nishimura as the Imperial Household Agency's Vice Grand Steward. In October 2016, the Cabinet Office appointed a panel of experts to debate the Emperor's abdication. In January 2017, the Lower House Budget committee began informally debating

1258-502: Was organized later in the day. A parade to celebrate Naruhito's enthronement as Emperor took place on 10 November at 3 pm local time (06:00 UTC ) as tens of thousands of people gathered in the city centre of Tokyo waving the Japanese flag. The Emperor and Empress used a Toyota Century convertible, which was followed by vehicles with Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko as well as Shinzō Abe. The procession forming

1295-460: Was practically possible – either the old Emperor's birthday or his jubilee celebrations – had been suggested. Until the era name became known, computers and software manufacturers needed to test their systems before the transition in order to ensure that the new era would be handled correctly by their software. Some systems provided test mechanisms to simulate a new era ahead of time. The new era name, Reiwa ( 令和 ) ,

1332-669: Was revealed on 1 April 2019 by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga during a televised press conference. The formal enthronement of Emperor Naruhito took place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on 22 October 2019, marking the end of the transition period. It was an extra holiday. It was attended by current and former Japanese politicians and more than 3,000 other official guests, which included more than 120 heads of state and government, as well as high-profile delegates from about 210 countries and territories and 9 organizations (the only country not to be invited to this ceremony

1369-441: Was the first Emperor of Japan and Ninigi's great-grandson. Traditionally, they were a symbol of the emperor's divinity as a descendant of Amaterasu, confirming his legitimacy as paramount ruler of Japan. When Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo-no-Mikoto , thus plunging the world in darkness, the goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto hung the mirror and jewels outside the cave and lured her out of hiding. Upon emerging from

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