Komahiki Ceremony
| Establishment | Kyoto Imperial Palace |
|---|---|
| Building | Omima |
| Room | Gedan-no-ma |
| Asset Type | Fusuma & Wall Paintings |
| Author | Gansei |
| Period | Ansei Era |
| Production date | 1855 |
| Size | H1.7m×W1.07m |
| Material | Light color, powdered gold leaf on paper |
| Format | Door pocket for sliding doors |
| Original/Copy | Original |
In the lower room, one of the annual court observances, the ceremony of Komahiki, is depicted on the sliding door panels. The Komahiki is a ceremony in which horses from the stock farms in the various provinces were brought into the courtyard to be viewed by the Emperor. Sometimes, the horses were given to the imperial family members and court nobles. It was annually held in August from the early Heian period until the 15th century. The horses were pulled round before the Emperor and taken to the Sa-Meryo or U-Meryo（court departments which were responsible for the matters related to horses. “Sa” refers to “left sided”, “U” refers to “right sided” ）. After the 66th Emperor Ichijo, the Emperor ceased to attend the ceremony and the venue was moved to the space in front of the Kenreimon gate.
