Ganjitsu no sechie (New Years Festival) (元日節会)
"Ganjitsu no sechie" is one of the ancient events for the New Year.
On January 1, after the Choga (ceremony in which the emperor receives greetings of the New Year from officials), the emperor comes to the Daigokuden (the Council Hall in the Imperial Palace), the Buraku-in (Reception Compound, later the Shishinden, the Throne Hall), and Homeiden State Banquet Hall and so on, and lets his retainers and court nobles hold the banquet.
It is said to have already taken place at the beginning of the Nara period, in the reign of the Emperor Gensho. It was considered as one of the important ceremonies in the Imperial Court, and held continuously until the Meiji Restoration, except for about 30 years of the interruption between the start of the Onin War until being revived in 1490. It became the New Year banquet of January 5 in the Meiji period, then changed into 'Shinnen shukuga no gi' (the New Year Greeting) of January 1 after World WarⅡ. "Shinnen shukuga no gi" is one of the constitutional functions.