The Emperor and Empress on Wednesday worshipped deities at Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture, one of the most important Shinto shrines affiliated with the Imperial family.
Dressed in a morning suit, the Emperor offered a sacred "sakaki" tree bough and worshipped after being purified by a priest at the main sanctuary of Ise's Outer Shrine. The Empress, clad in an ivory-colored dress, followed suit.
They arrived at the Outer Shrine earlier in the day and were welcomed by high priests Atsuko Ikeda, who is the Emperor's sister, and Michihisa Kitashirakawa, who is also related to the Imperial family.
They then proceeded to the Inner Shrine, which is about 6 km from the Outer Shrine. The Inner Shrine honors the Japanese sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, the mythical progenitor of the Imperial line. The Outer Shrine is dedicated to Toyouke Omikami, a food god.
Sources said the Emperor had hoped to go to Ise to report to his ancestral gods about the 10th anniversary of his 1989 ascension to the throne. But that was delayed by the death in June last year of his mother, Empress Kojun.
The Imperial Couple began a four-day visit Tuesday to Mie to make a pilgrimage to the shrine and visit a college and other facilities.
It is their first visit to Ise in seven years, though they have been there twice before since the Emperor's ascension -- once in 1990 and again in 1994, Imperial Household Agency officials said.
The agency said earlier the trip will not be cut short even if the Crown Princess gives birth while they are away from the capital.
Celebration events to be held at the Imperial Palace in the days following the birth could be postponed until the couple's return, agency officials said.