On Thursday, April 21, 2022, Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan visited the Geku, the outer shrine of Ise Jingu Shrine, to report on his proclamation as first in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

According to the Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, the “…Geku Shrine is dedicated to Toyouke no Omikami, the goddess of food and industry.” The newspaper goes on to note that the Imperial couple:

“[Walked] slowly along the road leading to the shrine, and offered a ‘Tamagushi’ sacred ‘Sakaki’ tree branch at the Mizugaki Minami Gomon gate, before praying at the shrine together.

After this, they visited and prayed at the Naiku, or inner shrine, where the legendary sun goddess Amaterasu-omikami is enshrined. This was their first visit to the Ise Jingu shrine since April 2018.”

Anyway, the purpose of today’s visit was to report on the completion of the rituals called, Rikkoshi no Rei, which took place in November 2020, to proclaim Crown Prince Fumihito first in line to the throne to succeed his brother, Naruhito, as the Emperor of Japan.