Japan's Imperial Throne and the August Seat of the Empress

The Tokyo National Museum displays Japan's Imperial Throne (Takamikura) and the August Seat of the Empress (Michodai) for a month from December 22, 2019 to January 19, 2020, The Takamikura and the Michodai were used in the Ceremony of the Enthronement of His Majesty the Emperor at the Seiden (Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on October 22, 2019.

The Takamikura, which is the Imperial Throne for the Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi, was placed in the Seiden-Matsu-no-Ma, one of the Imperial Palace buildings next to the Homeiden and Chowaden. Resting on a three-tiered dais of black lacquer, the throne is surmounted by by an octogonal canope. It is decorated with a large phoenix, eight small phoenixes, and several mirrors.

The Enthronement Ceremony was established at the beginning of the Heian period (794 to 1185) and is still performed to this day.

During the ceremony, His Majesty the Emperor wore a traditional costume called the "gosokutai".

Her Majesty the Empress's seat, the Michodai, was placed next to the Takamikura. The Michodai is the same shape as the Takamikura but somewhat smaller and differently decorated. Usually, the Takamikura and the Michodai are placed at the center of the main room of the Shishinden in the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

Actually, the Enthronement Ceremonies for Emperor Taisho (1912) and Emperor Showa (1926) were held at the Shishinden in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, while the Enthronement Ceremony for His Majesty Emperor Emeritus Akihito (Heisei era, 1989) was held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, just like the most recent one.

Back view of the Takamikura and the Michodai, with steps for ascension to the throne.