also: しんじょう · しんしょう · にいなえ · にわない
noun
imperial harvest ritual; offering of new rice to deities
A Shinto ceremony in which the Emperor offers newly harvested rice to the gods and partakes of it himself. Typically refers to the annual Niiname-sai (新嘗祭) held in November.
新嘗祭は毎年11月23日に行われる皇室の重要な儀式です。
The Niiname-sai is an important imperial ceremony held annually on November 23rd.
天皇は新嘗祭でその年に収穫された新穀を神々に供えます。
At the Niiname-sai, the Emperor offers newly harvested grain to the deities.
Alternate on'yomi reading, less common than にいなめ.
Obsolete kana usage; historical reading.
Obsolete kana usage; historical reading.
From 新 (nii, 'new') + 嘗 (name, 'tasting' or 'offering'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the imperial harvest ritual.