In Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, an Imperial princess faces the Emperor. He places in her hair a boxwood comb and tells her, "Go straight, and never look back."
This ritual marked the departure of the "Saio" high priestess chosen to serve the ancestral deities at the Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture on the Emperor's behalf. Ise Jingu is the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan, and the Saio was chosen through divination from among the Emperor's own daughters or other unmarried female relatives. These priestesses were forbidden from returning to the capital until the Emperor changed, the Saio herself fell ill, or there was a death in the immediate family, with some Saio serving for over 30 years. For centuries - records show the system existed as far back as 673 - the Saio prayed for the peace and prosperity of the nation.
The residence of the Saio was the Saiku palace about 15 kilometers from Ise Jingu in what is now the town of Meiwa. The Saiku no longer exists today, disappearing with the abolition of the Saio system in around the 14th century, but excavated artifacts at the Saiku Historical Museum indicate an elegant, sophisticated lifestyle within the palace. Visitors to the area in early June can also see the Saio briefly restored during the annual Saio Festival. The celebrations include a recreation of the departure ceremony and the stately procession that brought these royal priestesses to Mie Prefecture in ancient times.