The 2600th Anniversary Celebrations of the Empire of Japan (ç´Âå ÂäºÂÃ¥ÂÂå Âç¾年è¨Â念è¡ÂäºÂ, Kigen Nisen Roppyaku-nen Kinen Gyà Âji) refer to a series of events held in 1940 (the 15th year of Shà Âwa) to celebrate the 2600th year of the Imperial Era (Kà Âki, or Emperor Jimmu's accession year). This article also describes commemorative projects alongside the celebratory events.
Since 1940 (Shà Âwa 15) marked the 2600th year since the accession of Emperor Jimmu (according to Meiji period calculations based on the Nihon Shoki, the accession date was February 11, 660 BC), the Japanese government established the "2600th Anniversary Celebration Preparatory Committee" on October 1, 1935 (Shà Âwa 10), with the then Prime Minister Keisuke Okada (Okada Cabinet) as its chairman. This committee planned and promoted commemorative events, including the development of Kashihara Shrine and imperial mausoleums. This preparatory committee was abolished after the establishment of the "2600th Anniversary Celebration Deliberative Council" with Yoshirà  Sakata as chairman. Furthermore, Ichisuke Iinuma was appointed as the head of the "Cabinet 2600th Anniversary Celebration Office" established within the Cabinet, and later Chikakatsu Utada assumed the position.
On April 24, 1937 (Shà Âwa 12), the founding committee of the "2600th Anniversary Celebration Association" (å¥Âç¥Âä¼Â, Hà Âshukukai) was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence, where its rules were decided. On July 1 of the same year, the "Regulations for the Establishment and Supervision of the 2600th Anniversary Celebration Association" (Cabinet Order No. 3 of 1937) were promulgated, and on July 7, the incorporated foundation "2600th Anniversary Celebration Association" was established (Patron: Prince Yasuhito of Chichibu; Acting Patron: Prince Nobuhito of Takamatsu; Vice-Patron: Prime Minister and Duke Fumimaro Konoe; President: 16th Head of the Tokugawa Main Family, Duke Iesato Tokugawa; Vice-president: Marquis Yukitada Sasaki). On April 10, 1938 (Shà Âwa 13), with Prince Chichibu in attendance, a ceremony to honor the Patron and a celebratory banquet for the Association were held at the Meiji Jingu Gaien Stadium.
In 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), events began with the radio broadcast of the first shrine visit of the year at Kashihara Shrine. On February 11, Kigensetsu (now National Foundation Day), major festivals were held at 110,000 shrines nationwide, and various commemorative events such as exhibitions and sports meets were held throughout Japan, including its external territories. The development of Kashihara Shrine involved 1.21 million people in volunteer labor, including students on school trips. Shrines in the external territories, such as Beijing Shrine (in Peiping, Republic of China), Nan'yà  Shrine (in Koror Island, Nan'yà  Islands), and Kenkoku Shinbyà  (in Hsinking, Manchu Empire), were also established this year, promoting the overseas expansion of Shinto. Furthermore, on November 9 of the same year, the Home Ministry's Shrine Bureau was elevated to become the Institute of Divinities (ç¥Âç¥Âé¢, Jingiin), established as an external bureau of the Home Ministry, and in research and education, Jingà « Kà Âgakukan was upgraded from an old-system specialized school to an old-system university.
On July 15, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), amid increasing criticism from the international community over the Second Sino-Japanese War and prioritizing war expenditures and securing soldiers domestically, the Mitsumasa Yonai cabinet formally decided at a cabinet meeting to return the hosting rights for the 1940 Summer Tokyo Olympics and to postpone the 2600th Anniversary Commemorative International Exposition (the hosting rights for the 1940 Sapporo Winter Olympics had been returned on July 16, 1938).
From June 9âÂÂ14, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), the Shà Âwa Emperor made an imperial journey (è¡Â幸, gyokà Â) to the Kansai region to report the holding of the 2600th Anniversary Celebrations. He personally worshipped at Toyouke Daijingà «, Kà Âtai Jingà «, Emperor Jimmu's Unebiyama Northeast Mausoleum, Kashihara Shrine, Emperor Ninkà Â's Gotsukuri no Misasagi, Emperor Kà Âmei's Gotsukuri no Higashiyama Mausoleum, Empress Dowager Eishà Â's Gotsukuri no Northeast Mausoleum, Emperor Meiji's Fushimi Momoyama Mausoleum, and Empress Shà Âken's Fushimi Momoyama East Mausoleum. After returning to the capital, he worshipped at Emperor Taishà Â's Tama Mausoleum.
On November 10, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), the cabinet-sponsored "2600th Anniversary Ceremony" (ç´Âå ÂäºÂÃ¥ÂÂå Âç¾年å¼Âå ¸, Kigen Nisen Roppyaku-nen Shikiten) was grandly held at the Plaza in front of the Imperial Palace with the Shà Âwa Emperor and Empress Kà Âjun in attendance. Related events continued until November 14, and public celebratory mood reached its peak. Additionally, to coincide with the ceremony, five composers from Germany, Britain, Italy, France, and Hungary composed the "Celebratory Music for the 2600th Year of the Imperial Era".
However, reflecting material shortages due to the prolonged war, hospitality for official event participants was simplified. Furthermore, as indicated by the slogan "The Celebration is Over, Now Let's Work!" (ç¥Âã² çµÂã¤ã ãÂÂãÂÂÃ¥ÂÂãÂÂãÂÂ!, Iwai Owatta Saa Hatarakà Â!) written on Taisei Yokusankai posters put up all at once after the events ended, this marked a turning point towards renewed austerity, after which the wartime life of the people became increasingly harsh.
The cabinet-sponsored "2600th Anniversary Ceremony" was held on November 10, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15) at the Plaza in front of the Imperial Palace with the Shà Âwa Emperor and Empress Kà Âjun in attendance. The number of attendees was 55,000. A venue in the Shinden-zukuri style (Kà Âkaden) was set up by Shimizu-gumi between the Nijà «bashi and Sakashitamon. The order of proceedings was as follows:
The proceedings of the ceremony were broadcast live on radio by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) (now NHK Radio 1). However, the broadcast was interrupted when the Emperor read the Imperial Rescript. This was to avoid the possibility of a situation arising that could be deemed disrespectful (such as listeners not adopting a proper posture while hearing the Rescript), as it would also be impossible to enforce proper behavior under the lèse-majesté law. The Emperor's actual voice (the "Jewel Voice") was first officially broadcast on radio as part of a scheduled program, and the public heard the Emperor's actual voice for the first time five years later, during the Jewel Voice Broadcast announcing the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration on August 15, 1945 (Shà Âwa 20).
On the following day, November 11, at the same venue and similarly with the Shà Âwa Emperor and Empress in attendance, the cabinet-sponsored "2600th Anniversary Celebration Association" event was held. It included the presentation of congratulatory addresses by Prince Nobuhito of Takamatsu (Acting Patron of the Celebration Association; the Patron, Prince Chichibu, was absent from the series of events due to tuberculosis treatment) and Joseph Grew (the 13th Ambassador of the United States to Japan), a performance of the Nara-period style celebratory dance "Eternal" (æ 习, Eikyà «) composed by Tadatomà  à Âno, head of the Imperial Household Ministry Music Department, with four musicians from the department on stage, and three cheers for the Emperor's long life led by Prince Takamatsu.
The main event of the Celebration Association gathering was the "Feast" (é£Âé¥Â, Shinsen), where 50,000 attendees shared a meal with the Emperor at the same venue. The menu served at the feast included: sake, sea bream, kamaboko, canned goods containing a mixture of soybeans, kelp, dried gourd shavings, and bamboo shoots, portable cooked rice, instant miso soup, mochi, nutritional drinks "Aviation Genki-shu" and "Aviation Ryou-shoku Budà Â-shu" (Aviation Energy Sake and Aviation Provision Wine), hardtack, and as snacks, sausage, dried and flattened squid, dried cod, and shelled chestnuts. For sweets, "Kà Âa Kenkoku Pan" (èÂÂäºÂ建å½ãÂÂã³, Asia Revival Nation-Building Bread) and mandarin oranges were also served, but overall it was a very modest meal. Nevertheless, preparing a feast for 50,000 people during wartime was a tremendous task. The day before, it took 4 hours, 60 large trucks, and 600 staff members to transport the food to the venue. On the day of the event, 1,000 staff members served the meal continuously from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Additionally, the 2600th Anniversary Commemorative Medal was established (Imperial Ordinance No. 488 July 27, 1940, "2600th Anniversary Commemorative Medal Ordinance" Article 1) and awarded to those invited to the Kigensetsu or the 2600th Anniversary Ceremony (Article 3, Items 1 & 2) and those involved in the affairs and essential duties of the ceremony (Article 3, Item 3).
On the occasion of the 2600th Anniversary Celebration, congratulatory telegrams were received from King of Thailand Rama VIII, King of Romania Michael I, Yugoslav Regent Prince Paul, King of Italy Victor Emmanuel III, and German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. Replies were sent from the Shà Âwa Emperor.
Furthermore, preceding the celebrations, from June 26 to July 10, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), the Emperor of Manchukuo, Puyi, visited Japan aboard the battleship Hyà «ga to celebrate the 2600th Anniversary. He was welcomed by Prince Takamatsu at Yokohama Port's Osanbashi Pier and by the Shà Âwa Emperor at Tokyo Station. During his stay, he visited Meiji Shrine, Yasukuni Shrine, Yà «shà «kan War Museum, Tama Mausoleum, Tokyo Imperial Museum, Tokyo First Army Hospital, Ise Grand Shrine, Unebiyama Northeast Mausoleum, Kashihara Shrine, Fushimi Momoyama Mausoleum, and Fushimi Momoyama East Mausoleum.
The Japanese government also planned to hold international events in this year, seen as an opportunity to enhance national prestige and display national strength to the outside world. This involved bidding for and hosting the "Olympics" and "International Exposition" in Japan, and the hosting of these large-scale events had been formally decided.
However, due to the prolongation of the Second Sino-Japanese War which began in 1937 (Shà Âwa 12), the Tokyo Olympics were formally decided to be cancelled at the cabinet meeting on July 15, 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), and the World Expo was postponed. However, some events held and facilities built in conjunction with this major event did exist, such as the East Asian Games, Tokyo's Kachidoki Bridge, Daiichi Hotel, Horse Park (Baji Kà Âen), Olympic Roads (current Nozawa-dà Âri and Ryà «unji-dà Âri; Kà Ânosu Bridge over the cut-through in Higashiyama 1-chome, Meguro Ward, was built in 1938), and Saitama's Toda Rowing Course.
At that time, under resource controls prioritizing military transport, the government called on the public to refrain from sightseeing travel, with slogans such as "Luxury is the Enemy", "Abolish Pleasure Travel", and "Do Not Obstruct Important Transport with Sightseeing Travel" posted at stations. However, visits to shrines deeply connected to the Imperial Family, such as Meiji Shrine, Kashihara Shrine, and Ise Grand Shrine, were exceptions and were rather encouraged, for example, through the sale of discounted rail tickets.
As the public had long refrained from travel, they eagerly visited these shrines. In 1940 (Shà Âwa 15), the number of visitors to Kashihara Shrine totaled 10 million, and Ise Grand Shrine 8 million. Private railway companies such as Osaka Electric Railway, Sangà « Express Electric Railway, and Kansai Express Electric Railway (the predecessors of Kinki Nippon Railway (Kintetsu)) and Osaka Railway (predecessor of the current Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line, etc.) / Nara Electric Railway (predecessor of the current Kintetsu Kyoto Line), whose lines served areas near Ise Grand Shrine and Kashihara Shrine, operated many special trains to handle this traffic, and the National Railways (JNR) also worked hard on passenger transport.
The Ministry of Communications (now Japan Post) issued commemorative stamps for the 2600th Anniversary. On Kigensetsu, February 11, 2-sen and 10-sen stamps, and on November 10, when the ceremony was held, 4-sen and 20-sen stamps of each denomination were sold. The designs of all stamps were based on themes from the Nihon Shoki: the 2-sen stamp featured the Golden Kite (éÂÂéµÂ, Kinshi), the 4-sen stamp featured Takachiho, the 10-sen stamp featured an Ayu fish and a ritual water jar (å³ç¶, Itsube), and the 20-sen stamp featured Kashihara Shrine. Furthermore, Manchukuo also issued two types of "Japanese Imperial Era 2600th Anniversary Commemorative" postal stamps on September 18, 1940 (Kangde Year 7).