The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-08-13
THE IMPERIAL REIGNING FAMILY OF JAPAN
Emperor So Sacred That
lie Can't be Talked
About.


for my work in the Orient. The chief
little knew what a task he was laying
out for me. The first official to whom
/ mentioned my desire of obtaining
ment and habits of the Emperor, said:
eff it were known at the palace that
you intended to write such an article
you would be requested to- abandon
the idea at once. Please do not refer
to it again.
"But why not?' I insisted, "the
motives. Our people have a friendly
interest in the Japanese and admire
them greatly. They merely want to
know the intimate facts about your
sovereign in order to become better
acquainted It was no use. Further
fnsistence and repeated assurances of
good will would not induce the other
wise polite and obliging official to dis
cuss the subject. My efforts met the
same reception no matter of whom I
inquired. 1t is a topic about which
no one will converse.
UNLAWFUL TO DISCUSS EN-
PEROR.
found in the third article of the con-
stitution of Japan, which says 1.-THE
Emperor is sacred and inviolab le.'
Further explanation of this clause is
made: THE Emperor is heaven
descended, divine and sacred. His
hallowed throne was established at
the time when the 4avens and the
earth became separated. He is pre-
eminent above all his subjects. The
law has no power to hold him ac-
countable to it, Not only shall there
be no irreverence for the Emperor's
person, but he shall not be made a
topic of derogatory comment, nor
even one of discussion
Thus it will be seen that the Japa-
nese consider their ruler too sacred to
be talked about, and have inculcated
in the law of the land the prohibition
OF his name in ordinary conversation.
The difficulty of securing material I'M
der these circumstances is apparent.
1t required weeks of persistent effort
to ascertain what is herein contained.
although it was gathered pfecemeal
from many sources it's relia bility In
most instances is reasonably certain.
1t should be said in the outset that
the mystery which surrounds the
Mikado is not due to his being tyran-
nical, nor because his daily life is such
that it will not bear publicity. On
the contrary his acts are invariably
tempered by clemency and his habits
are marked by a simplicity which is
almost frugal.
He has no designations and practices
the utmost regularity. spending MS
whole time in the discharge of official
duties Morning, noon and night he
receives his ministers to discuss with
them the affairs of state. He is said
to resemble the Emperor of Germany
in the faculty of being able to choose
Trustworthy assistants. Although HIS
Majesty cannot read or speak any
language other than his own, he is an
inveterate reader OF newspapers
keeping his interpreters busy trans
Iating the utterances of the foreign
press for his perusal. Quite IN con- .
formity with the idea his subjects {.
have about his being a saint is the
claim that he never shows emotlon.
If there are moments when his anger
gets beyond control no reports of such
reach farther than the palace walls.
FACTS ABOUT THE MIKADO.
The Emperor has absolutely no
amusements. When a young man ne
was quite skillful in the practice or
archery and for time spent a por-
ton of each day in drilling company
of troops He is taller than the aver
age Japanese but his walk is some-
What affected by the ravages of rheu-
.matism When he appears in public
he is always attired in military uni
form. He wears a trimmed beard and
his countenance represents the finest
type of Oriental dignity. The fact
that he is susceptible to sea sickness
is said to be the reason why the En-
peror does not have an Imperial yacht.
Whenever it becomes necessary for him
to journey on the water he travels in a
utilizes one of the battleships in the
Japanese navy.
Although His Majesty has number
of country palaces and game re-
serves, he rarely or never visits them,
preferring to remain at the capital OF
his kingdom. AS an instance OF the
simplicity which characterizes the
habits of the Emperor it is remarked
that he takes his daily bath in wood
en- tub similar to those which his fore
fathers used even retaining the Old
fashioned bucket and rope which draws
the water from a nearby cistern. That
he is fastidious in other respects. now
ever is shown by the statement that
the weave~s who make white silk un-
derwear for His Royal Hlghness are
kept busy because he never wears a
suit but once. Even if it be true tnat
the Mikado clings to the prlmtlVe
bath-tub of his ancestors. he has fur-
nished his place with modern furniture
which. although boasting later style.