In the Daijōsai ritual, the third component of an enthronement, the new emperor introduces himself to the sun goddess Amaterasu and the other Shinto gods by offering them a meal featuring rice grown in sacred fields under his reign. Two special buildings, the Yukiden and the Sukiden, are constructed in the style of prehistoric Japanese palaces, presumably resembling those used by the emperor’s ancestors. The ritual takes place between sunset and sunrise, with a worship service carried out in one hall late at night and in the other in the early hours on the morning. A simpler version of this ritual, known as Niinamesai or Shinjōsai, will be performed in every year of the emperor’s reign to celebrate the annual harvest.

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