The initial construction of the Inner Shrine is thought to date from the late fifth to the mid-sixth century. Under the ritsuryo code, noone but members of the imperial family worshiped there and thus Ise was the center of imperial rites. Of these , the Niiname-sai (first fruits festival) and the Daijo-sai (enthronement ceremony) were the most important in the very elaborate, yearly ritual calendar. In both, the Emperor offered pure food to the deities and consumed a ceremonial meal that the deiti es were thought to share.