The Yuima-e as Theatre of the State

This article analyzes a twelfth-century session of the Yuima-e at Kofukuji as a stage of history to determine the institutional and factional background of its participants. In order to do this, the format of the Yuima-e as it was held in the twelfth century is presented, followed by a study of primary materials related to the 1196 session of this annual ritual. The article then examines the Sanne joichiki, the personal notes of the Todaiji monk Sosho, and diaries, to conclude that these sessions can indeed be considered "theatres of the state" in which the connection between Kuroda Toshio's concepts of kenmon and kenmitsu taisei can be found.