Saiō



Saiō (斎王) or was the title of the unmarried female members of the Japanese Imperial Family, sent to serve at Ise Grand Shrine from the late 7th century to the 14th century. The 's residence, Saikū (斎宮), was about 10 km north-west of the shrine. The remains of Saikū are situated in the town of Meiwa, Mie Prefecture, Japan.

Origins


According to Japanese legend, around 2,000 years ago the divine Yamatohime-no-mikoto, daughter of the Emperor Suinin, set out from Mount Miwa in Nara Prefecture in search of a permanent location to worship the goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami. Her search lasted for 20 years and eventually brought her to Ise, Mie Prefecture, where the Ise Shrine now stands. Prior to Yamatohime-no-mikoto's journey, Amaterasu-ōmikami had been worshiped at the Imperial Palaces in Yamato.

According to the (The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves), the first  to serve at Ise was Princess Ōku, daughter of Emperor Tenmu, during the Asuka period of Japanese history. Mention of the is also made in the,  and  chapters of The Tale of Genji, as well as in the 69th chapter of The Tales of Ise.

In the 13th century, Jien recorded in the that during the reign of Emperor Suinin, the first High Priestess  was appointed for Ise Shrine. Hayashi Gahō's 17th-century is somewhat more expansive, explaining that since Suinin's time, a daughter of the emperor was almost always appointed as high priestess, but across the centuries, there had been times when the emperor himself had no daughter; and in such circumstances, the daughter of a close relative of the emperor would have been appointed to fill the untimely vacancy.

Role


The role of the was to serve as High Priestess at Ise Shrine on behalf of the Emperor, to represent the role first set out by Yamatohime-no-mikoto. Three rituals a year were conducted at the Shrine in which the prayed for peace and protection. In June and November each year, she journeyed to the Shrine to perform the Tsukinamisai Festival. In September in the lunisolar calendar, she performed the Kannamesai Festival to make offerings to the of the year's new grain harvest.

For the rest of the year, the lived in Saikū, a small town of up to 500 people approximately 10 km north-west of Ise, in modern Meiwa, Mie Prefecture. Life at Saikū was, for the most part, peaceful. The would spend her time composing  verses, collect shells on the shore of Ōyodo beach, or set out in boats and recite poetry upon the water and wait to be recalled to Kyoto.

Selection process
When an Emperor died or abdicated the throne, when the 's relative died, or when certain political power required, she would be recalled to the capital and a new selected from one of the new Emperor's unmarried female relatives using divination by either burnt tortoise shell or deer bones. The new would then undergo a period of purification before setting out with her retinue of up to 500 people for Saikū, never to return to the capital until recalled by the next Emperor.

Upon the selection of the new, the current and her retinue would return to the capital to resume their lives as part of the Imperial Court. Often, a was quite young when she left the capital for Saikū, and would only be in her mid-teens or early twenties when she returned to the capital. It was considered a great honor to marry a former and her time at Saikū improved her own position at court and those of the people who served with her.

Procession to Saikū
The procession routes of the changed after the capital was moved to Heian-kyō in 794.

The procession began in what is today the Arashiyama district on the west side of Kyoto. In the Heian period, successive imperial princesses stayed in the Nonomiya Shrine for a year or more to purify themselves before becoming representatives of the imperial family at the Ise Shrine. Contemporary annual processions recreate a scene from a picture scroll of the imperial court during the Heian period, starting from the shrine and continuing as far as the Togetsu-kyo Bridge, Arashiyama.

The procession of the from Kyoto to Saikū, the 's official residence in Ise, was the largest procession of its kind in Japan for its time. Up to 500 people would set out from Kyoto as a part of the 's retinue for the journey, which lasted six days and five nights. From Kyoto, they travelled in an eastward direction, passing through the Suzuka Pass, which was without doubt the most difficult part of the journey. Once clearing the pass, the retinue would descend into the Ise region and turn south, eventually reaching the Kushida River (櫛田川). Here, the would stop to perform a final cleansing ritual before crossing the river and travelling the short distance to Saikū.

The was expected to remain at Saikū until the emperor whom she represented either died or abdicated the throne. The was permitted to return to Kyoto only on the provision of a close relative's death. When returning to Kyoto, a different route was taken through the mountains to Nara, then to Osaka Bay where a ceremony was to be performed before she could finally return to the capital.

Princess Ōku
The (The Anthology of Ten Thousand Leaves), tells the story of Princess Ōku, the first  to serve at Ise Shrine. The daughter of Emperor Tenmu, Japan's 40th emperor (according to the traditional order of succession), Princess Ōku and her younger brother, Prince Ōtsu, survived the Jinshin incident. After taking up her role as, her brother was put to death for treason in 686 and Princess Ōku was relieved of her duties and returned to Yamato. Here, she enshrined her brother's remains on Mt. Futakami before she died the age of 41.

Princess Yoshiko
The Tale of Genji tells the story of Rokujo-no-miyasudokoro, which is believed to be based on Princess Yoshiko, who served as from 936 to 945. In The Tale of Genji, Rokujo-no-miyasudokoro became the of Ise Shrine at the young age of 8, serving at the shrine for 9 years. After returning to the capital, she became a consort to Emperor Murakami and gave birth to Princess Noriko. She became famous throughout Kyoto for her colorful life, devoting herself to waka poetry and music. According to the story, she falls in love with Prince Genji, but her jealous nature brings about the death of two of her rivals. When her daughter is chosen as at the age of 13, Rokujo-no-miyasudokoro decides to join her in Saikū to help her overcome her feelings for Genji.

Princess Yasuko
The love story of Ariwara-no-Narihira and the 31st, Princess Yasuko (served as from 859 to 876), is told in the 69th chapter of The Tales of Ise. Ariwara-no-Narihira, well known in his time for his good looks, is married to Princess Yasuko's cousin, but on meeting at the Saikū, they fall into forbidden love. Giving in to temptation, they secretly meet under a pine tree on the shore of Ōyodo Port to reveal their feelings for one another and to promise to meet again the following night. But this first secret meeting would also be the last, as Narihira was due to depart that next day for Owari Province. Princess Yasuko came to see Narihira off, and they were never to see each other again, though it is said that Princess Yasuko bore a child as a result of the brief love affair.

End of the system
It is not precisely clear when the system ended, but what is known is that it occurred during the turmoil of the Nanboku-chō period when two rival Imperial courts were in existence, in Kyoto and Yoshino. The system had been in steady decline up to this period, with Saikū reverting to just another rural rice farming village after the system's collapse.

Though the area of Saikū remained, it was unclear exactly where the old Imperial town stood until pottery remains were unearthed in 1970 during the construction of housing in the Saikū area, Meiwa Town. A modern museum was built on the site of the first finds and archaeological excavations are continuing, held each summer with the aid of volunteer school children from all over Japan. Though a site for the main residence has been discovered, a large percentage of it lies beneath the main Kintetsu Ise railway line and is inaccessible. Itsukinomiya Historical Experience Hall, a reconstruction of the building using traditional techniques, was built in the 1990s and stands beside Saikū station on the local Kintetsu rail line, no more than 200 m from the original site.

Festivals
The, the first of the three main festivals held in Kyoto each year, re-enacts the Heian period march of the to the Shimigamo Shrine (lower Kamo Shrine) in Sakyo Ward. This festival is held every year on May 15 and in 2006 consisted of 511 people dressed in traditional Heian court clothing and 40 cows and horses, stretching around 800 m from start to finish. This festival is said to have started in the 6th century when the Emperor sent his representatives to Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shines to pray from good harvests.

The is held in the town of Meiwa, Mie Prefecture, on the first weekend of June each year. First held in 1983, it re-enacts the march of the from her residence at Saikū, to the nearby Ise Shrine. More than 100 people dressed in traditional Heian-period dress along a section of the old Ise (pilgrimage road), before ending in the grounds of the Saikū Museum.

List of
After the establishment of the system by Emperor Tenmu, these were priestesses of Ise Shrine.