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[Breaking News]Japan PM Ishiba's ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

TOKYO, Japan, Oct. 17 Kyodo - Video taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2025, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the Shinto shrine's three-day autumn festival. (Kyodo)

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Japan PM Ishiba's ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2025, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering (L) sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the Shinto shrine's three-day autumn festival.

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Ceremonial dance at southwestern Japan shrine

A "kagura" Shinto ritual ceremonial dance is performed in front of tourists at Takachiho Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on the night of April 16, 2025.

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Ceremonial dance at southwestern Japan shrine

A "kagura" Shinto ritual ceremonial dance is performed in front of tourists at Takachiho Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on the night of April 16, 2025.

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Ceremonial dance at southwestern Japan shrine

A "kagura" Shinto ritual ceremonial dance is performed in front of tourists at Takachiho Shrine in Takachiho, Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on the night of April 16, 2025.

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Japan PM Ishiba's ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

TOKYO, Japan, April 21 Kyodo - Video taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 21, 2025, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the Shinto shrine's two-day spring festival. (Kyodo)

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Japan PM Ishiba's ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 21, 2025, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering (next to lantern) sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the Shinto shrine's two-day spring festival.

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Japan PM Ishiba's ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 21, 2025, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering (next to lantern) sent by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba for the Shinto shrine's two-day spring festival.

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Fire festival in western Japan

NACHIKATSUURA, Japan, July 14 Kyodo - White-robed men hold up flaming torches during an annual fire festival at the World Heritage-listed Kumano Nachi Taisha shrine in the Wakayama Prefecture town of Nachikatsuura, western Japan, on July 14, 2024. (Kyodo)

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Japan PM Kishida's ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 21, 2024, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the occasion of the Shinto shrine's three-day spring festival.

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Swimming season begins at beach in Kagoshima Pref.

AMAMI, Japan, April 11 Kyodo - A Shinto ritual is held at a beach on Amami-Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on April 11, 2024, as the beach opens for swimming the same day. (Kyodo)

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Swimming season begins at beach in Kagoshima Pref.

A Shinto ritual is held at a beach on Amami-Oshima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on April 11, 2024, as the beach opens for swimming the same day.

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Ritual for Aoi festival in Kyoto

A woman playing the role of the "Saio-dai" imperial princess in the annual Aoi festival in Kyoto arrives at Kamigamo Jinja, a Shinto shrine in the city on May 4, 2023, to attend a purification ritual held ahead of the festival.

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Ritual for Aoi festival in Kyoto

A woman clad in a 12-layer traditional Japanese kimono, having been chosen to play this year's Saio-dai heroine during upcoming Aoi Festival in Kyoto, purifies herself at Kamigamo Jinja, a Shinto shrine in the city on May 4, 2023.

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Yasukuni shrine

Photo shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2023, the first day of the Shinto shrine's autumn festival.

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Yasukuni shrine

Photo shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2023, the first day of the Shinto shrine's autumn festival.

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Ritual for Aoi festival in Kyoto

KYOTO, Japan Kyodo - A woman playing the role of the "Saio-dai" imperial princess in the annual Aoi festival in Kyoto arrives at Kamigamo Jinja, a Shinto shrine in the city on May 4, 2023, to attend a purification ritual held ahead of the festival.

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Ritual for Aoi festival in Kyoto

A woman clad in a 12-layer traditional Japanese kimono, having been chosen to play this year's Saio-dai heroine during upcoming Aoi Festival in Kyoto, purifies herself at Kamigamo Jinja, a Shinto shrine in the city on May 4, 2023.

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Ritual for Aoi festival in Kyoto

A woman playing the role of the "Saio-dai" imperial princess in the annual Aoi festival in Kyoto arrives at Kamigamo Jinja, a Shinto shrine in the city on May 4, 2023, to attend a purification ritual held ahead of the festival.

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Japan PM Kishida's ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on April 21, 2023, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the occasion of the Shinto shrine's two-day spring festival.

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Shinto ritual held to open new kabuki theater stage

KYOTO, Japan - A Shinto ritual is observed to mark the opening of a new cypress stage at the Minamiza kabuki theater in Kyoto, western Japan, on Nov. 28, 2014.

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Repaired hall of Shinto shrine shown to press

HASHIMOTO, Japan - The repaired main hall of the Niutsuhime Shinto shrine in Katsuragi, Wakayama Prefecture, western Japan, at the foot of Mt. Koya, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is shown to the press on Oct. 27, 2014, ahead of the transfer of its enshrined deity to the refurbished shrine in November, the first such ritual in 37 years.

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Old purses burned for good fortune at wealth-tied shrine

YONAGO, Japan - Some 250 old purses are burned in a good fortune-inviting ritual at Kamochi Shrine in Hino, Tottori Prefecture, western Japan, on Oct. 25, 2014, with the Shinto shrine considered a lucky place for its name associated with "kanemochi" or wealthy people.

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Fuso-kyo grassroots Shinto priests perform fire ritual

TOKYO, Japan - Priests of Fuso-kyo, a Japanese grassroots Shinto sect based on the worship of Mt. Fuji, perform a fire ritual at its shrine in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi Prefecture, central Japan, as seen in this file photo taken on June 3, 2014.

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Dolls on tiny boats for seaborne journey in Girls' Day event

WAKAYAMA, Japan - A Shinto ritual is performed on "hina" dolls before they set out for a seaborne journey on tiny boats in a Girls' Day tradition to wish for girls' healthy growth and happiness at Awashima Shrine on the coast of Wakayama, western Japan, on March 3, 2014.

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Shinto ritual in Nara Pref. to determine market price of ''somen'' noodles

TONDABAYASHI, Japan - Women perform the ''Somen Kakeuta'' on Feb. 5, 2014, during Bokujosai, a Shinto ritual at Omiwa Shrine in the city of Sakurai, Nara Prefecture, that determines the year's market price for thin ''somen'' noodles. The area is famous for handmade Miwa somen noodles.

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Yasukuni Shrine on anniv. of Japan's WWII defeat

TOKYO, Japan - Koichi Hagiuda, aide to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party, visits Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Aug. 15, 2013. Abe arranged for the aide to take a monetary offering to the World War II-related Shinto shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in the war. Abe made the ritual offering as LDP president, not as prime minister, Hagiuda said.

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Japanese 'hina' dolls on boat

WAKAYAMA, Japan - Japanese "hina" dolls, ornamental dolls for Girls' Day on March 3, are floated on the sea in a boat near Awashima Shrine in the city of Wakayama, western Japan, during a ritual called "hina nagashi" (hina floating) on March 3, 2013. The Shinto shrine holds the annual ritual to wish for the happiness and growth of women and girls.

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Japanese 'hina' dolls on boat

WAKAYAMA, Japan - Japanese "hina" dolls, ornamental dolls for Girls' Day on March 3, are floated on the sea in a boat near Awashima Shrine in the city of Wakayama, western Japan, during a ritual called "hina nagashi" (hina floating) on March 3, 2013. The Shinto shrine holds the annual ritual to wish for the happiness and growth of women and girls.

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Japanese 'hina' dolls floating

WAKAYAMA, Japan - Japanese 'hina' dolls, ornament dolls for the March 3 Girls' Day, float on the sea in a boat decorated with flowers near the coastal Awashima Shrine in Wakayama, western Japan, during a ritual called ''hina nagashi'' (hina floating) on March 3, 2012. The Shinto shrine's annual ritual aims at happiness for women and girls.

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Shinto ritual on Lake Suwa

NAGANO, Japan - A Shinto ritual is held on the surface of the frozen Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture on Feb. 6, 2012 to predict the year's social situations and the prospects for crop harvests and weather from a streak of elevated ice cracks, a natural phenomenon observed two days earlier on the Nagano Prefecture lake for the first time in four years.

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Shinto ritual on Lake Suwa

NAGANO, Japan - A Shinto ritual is held on the surface of the frozen Lake Suwa in Nagano Prefecture on Feb. 6, 2012 to predict the year's social situations and the prospects for crop harvests and weather from a streak of elevated ice cracks, a natural phenomenon observed two days earlier on the Nagano Prefecture lake for the first time in four years.

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Shinto ritual in snow

HAKODATE, Japan - A nearly naked man is splashed with cold water by another man in the snow during a 180-year-old Shinto ritual for bumper fish and farm crops at a shrine in the town of Kikonai, Hokkaido, in northern Japan, on the night of Jan. 14, 2012.

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Buddhist, Shinto joint service for disaster victims

KAMAKURA, Japan - A Buddhist priest (L) conducts a ritual for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at a memorial service held jointly by Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shinto shrine and Todaiji Buddhist temple in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, on June 12, 2011. On the right are Shinto priests taking part in the rite.

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Shinto ritual in snow

HAKODATE, Japan - An almost naked young man is splashed with cold water by another young man in the snow during a 180-year-old Shinto ritual for bumper fish and farm crops at a shrine in the town of Kikonai, Hokkaido, in northern Japan, on Jan. 13, 2011.

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Hakuho ready for New Year tourney

TOKYO, Japan - Grand champion Hakuho (R) demonstrates his ''dohyo-iri'' ritual at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine, in Tokyo on Jan. 6, 2011, ahead of the start of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

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Clinton visits Tokyo shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji

TOKYO, Japan - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton receives a traditional Shinto ritual for purification as she visits Meiji Jingu in Tokyo, a major Shinto shrine, on Feb. 17 ahead of a series of talks to be held with Japanese leaders. (Pool photo)

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Shinto objects at Imperial Palace moved ahead of anti-quake work

TOKYO, Japan - Led by a ritual conductor clad in white robes, servants and officials carry a ''ohaguruma'' portable shrine in a ceremony May 29 to move the sacred objects that symbolize imperial ancestors and various gods from the Imperial Palace's three main ritual rooms to a temporary room as the main rooms are to undergo anti-quake reinforcement work. (Pool photo)

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Priests prepare ground for empress dowager's mausoleum

TOKYO, Japan - Shinto priests pray June 26 for the safety and security of the planned tomb for the late Empress Dowager Nagako, in a ritual at the Musashino Imperial Mausoleum in the western suburbs of Tokyo. The tomb is to take a year to construct and will be located near that of her husband, the late Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa. The empress dowager died June 16 at the age of 97.

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Kyoto's autumn fire festival excites revelers

The annual autumn fire festival in Kurama in the mountains of northern Kyoto excites festivalgoers. In the festival, known as ''Kurama-no-Himatsuri,'' thousands of torches are carried or placed at the side of the road leading up to the Yuki Shrine. Revelers shout in unison, ''Come take part in this Shinto ritual.'' The festival, sponsored by the shrine, dates back to the 10th century.

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Japan PM Kishida sends ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2022, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kishida sent the offering (L of the two seen) earlier in the day on the occasion of the Shinto shrine's autumn festival.

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Japan PM Kishida sends ritual offering to Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at the war-linked Yasukuni shrine in Tokyo on Oct. 17, 2022, shows the "masakaki" ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kishida sent the offering (L of the two seen) earlier in the day on the occasion of the Shinto shrine's autumn festival.

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2 Cabinet members visit war-linked Yasukuni shrine, PM sends offering

Two Cabinet ministers visited Tokyo's war-linked Yasukuni shrine on Monday, the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II, but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida chose to send a ritual offering to the shrine seen by Asian neighbors as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. The visits by hawkish economic security minister Sanae Takaichi and reconstruction minister Kenya Akiba, both handpicked for their posts by Kishida last week, marked the third straight year that Cabinet members have visited the Shinto shrine on Aug. 15.

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Japan PM Kishida's ritual offering to Yasukuni

Photo taken at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine on April 21, 2022, shows a ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in the day. The Shinto shrine is seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors convicted war criminals along with more than 2.4 million war dead.

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Japan PM Kishida's ritual offering to Yasukuni

Photo taken at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine on April 21, 2022, shows a ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in the day. The Shinto shrine is seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors convicted war criminals along with more than 2.4 million war dead.

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Shinto ritual in northern Japan

Men splash cold water over each other during a Shinto ritual dating back to the 1830s to pray for rich catches of fish and harvests, at Samegawa Shrine in Kikonai, Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Jan. 13, 2022.

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Shinto ritual in northern Japan

Men splash cold water over each other during a Shinto ritual dating back to the 1830s to pray for rich catches of fish and harvests, at Samegawa Shrine in Kikonai, Hokkaido, northern Japan, on Jan. 13, 2022.

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Japan's new PM sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine on Oct. 17, 2021, shows a ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in the day. Kishida offered the "masakaki" tree offering during a biannual festival held in the spring and autumn at the Shinto shrine, seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors convicted war criminals along with more than 2.4 million war dead.

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Japan's new PM sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine on Oct. 17, 2021, shows a ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in the day. Kishida offered the "masakaki" tree offering during a biannual festival held in the spring and autumn at the Shinto shrine, seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors convicted war criminals along with more than 2.4 million war dead.

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Japan's new PM sends ritual offering to war-linked Yasukuni shrine

Photo taken at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine on Oct. 17, 2021, shows a ritual offering sent by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida earlier in the day. Kishida offered the "masakaki" tree offering during a biannual festival held in the spring and autumn at the Shinto shrine, seen by China and South Korea as a symbol of Japan's past militarism as it honors convicted war criminals along with more than 2.4 million war dead.