Thereafter, Kinen-sai festival became an important national ritual once again, and from 1869, it was held as a grand festival by the Imperial Court and high ranking shrines nationwide which were authorized by the state.
祈年祭は再び重要な国家祭祀と位置づけられ、明治2年（1869年）からは、宮中および全国の官国幣社で「大祭」として祈年祭が行われるようになった。