The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-15

to the quaint ceremonies of those day.,
but to only Il few very conservative
families among the mobiles are theE
familiar, and even to those the origin
and significance of many of the most
curious are lost. During those ages
when an aweSome reverence for the
mikados kept them practically prls-
onerS within the palace the rest OF
Japan was moving onward, nut no
change ever took place in the life or
customs of the Holy City Thus 1t Is
that many ancient services. long ago
forgotten by the people, are stu OBJ
served in the palace, just as they were
over a thousandtyears ago.
ARE STILL OBSERVED.
One very peculiar custom, never
omitted on the occasion of royal
birth, is the throwing from the palace
roof of the kOshki an ancient wooden
rice boiler This ceremony dates back
$500 years to the reign of USayatuk-
laezdll-no- Mikoto. All buildings OF
those days were very primitive, ana
tradition says when the emperor'S son
was born the roof proved insufficient
to protect the empress and the I'M
perial heir from the snow and rain.
Ugayafuklac czdu no MikOto took IL
koShiki which consists of several lay
erS of thin wooden boxes, and over
laying them, made IA temporary cover
ing. Afterwards bundles of rice straw
or flax reeds were used in the same
manner, and thus roof matching came
into use. In grateful memory OF this
invention, to signify that the koshiki
is no longer of use it is thrown to the
ground.
Another unchanging custom is that
of sending IA messenger, as soon as the
babe is born, to Ise, the ancestral
temple of the mikados. In ancient
times this messenger was always the
highest court lady, but recently rep
rescntative has taken her place. She
carries IA box made of the beautiful
white kiri wood. 1t has no decoration,
except the SiXtcen-leaved chrysanthe-
mum--thc crest of the mikado--in gold,
and is bound with heavy silken cord
having the long purple tassels which
signify congratulation. Within Is a
letter, which, in the most formal and
reverent words, announces the birth
of the royal babe and offers grateful
thanks to the mysterious" for yet
another promise of the everlasting
glory of the mikado dynasty" This
letter is presented, with much cere-
mony, to the priestess of the temple,
and is then read aloud in the most
holy place. This custom has not once
been neglected since the days of the
the tenth mikado, 1,9S5 years ago, and
since that time until now the priestess
of Ise temple has always been sister
of the mikado or one of the royal
princesses.
The eighth day of the little princes
life will be set apart for the cere-
mony of hair cutting Soft hair will
be carefully kept until death, when it
will be placed, with similar relies, in
small bag of silk and tied around
the neck and buried with the body in
hitsusi filled with vermillion and
charcoal.
The prince name" is selected by GER
tain court officials after much con-
sideration, and-should the customs of
his ancestors he followed-the young
prince will be given name never be-
fore borne by anyone, but one chosen
as appropriate to the present time.
He will be called by his name until
he becomes mikado. His tomb
name" given after death, will be one
especially characteristic of his life or
reign.
Numerous quaint and interesting
ceremonies will take place for several
weeks to come. but the one to which
the people of Toxic are looking for
ward with greatest interest is the cele-
bration of the baby's first visit to the
mikado and empress. Then tn, entire
city will be alive with enthuiasm, and
competition in decoration will run
high.
The streets, from the palace of the
crown prince to that of the mikado,
will be a line of scarlet and white,