| On April 17, 2019, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan started a three-day pilgrimage to Ise Grand Shrine in Mie prefecture, the holiest site in Japan's Shinto religion. The visit to Ise Shrine, which is dedicated to a legendary ancestress of the imperial family, is part of a series of rituals for the Emperor's abdication. The imperial sword and jewel, two of the family's three sacred treasures that play a key role in the succession, are accompanying the emperor on the visit. The couple will worship at the Outer Shrine and the Inner Shrine on Thursday. |
