The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-16
Americans in Japan Send a Memorial to Emperor YOshihi4.o of COngratula- tiOns-WOmen Pleased
RECEPTIONS HELD
 ON BOARD CRUISERS
 IN HARBOR OF KOBE
Grand Harvest of Thanks giving Festival Begins, Preceded by Many Impos- ing Ceremonies

Kioto, Japan, November 15.-
 Americans in Japan today collectively
 sent to Emperor Yoshihito memorial
 congratulating him on his coronation
 and emphasizing the peace and secur- ity of life in Japan.
 Japanese women are pleased by the inclusion in the coronation honors of five women, three of whom-Umeko
 Tsuda, Kouko Kaetsu and Kajiko
 Yajima-are social reformers. One
 worker who received decoration is
 Colonel Yamamuro of the Salvation
 Army.
 Receptions were held today at Kioto
 and at Kobe in honor of the blue l jackets of the cruiser Saratoga, flag
 ship of the United States Asiatic fleet,
 at anchor in Kobe harbor.
 1 Tonight, alone unseen and unheard, in
 primitive huts of thatch and reed, En- peror Yoshihito offered feast of sacred
 rice to the spirits of nis ancestors and
 to the deities of heaven and earth an6
 then himself partook of the sacred food l Many Japanese regard this ceremony as | the eliminating and cnlef rite of all
 since through it the Emperor receives
 the confirmation of his hereditary right
 to deification.
 In Japanese the ceremony is called l 'Daijosai," which translated Implies 1 Grand Harvest or Thanksgiving Festi- val The ceremony proper was preceded
 by many preliminaries, including that of yesterday, when prayers were offered fol
 the longevi of the imperial house, and
 the sending this morning of imprial mes
 sengers to each of the 172 shrines
 throughout the empire to notify the spr- it's of the imperial ancestors that the grand harvest festival was about to be gin.
 Still another preliminary held in thu morning was the offering of food before the imperial sanctuary in the Shun koden hall of the Kioto palace. A cham berlain and maid of honor represented
 the Emperor and Empress in ancient cos tune.
 Dedicated to the Spirits l Prior. also. to the festival proper was held ceremonial dedicated to inviting 1 the spirits of the deitles of heaven ant
 earth to come to their respective shrines 1 in the Daijo halls. These two shrines ] the Yuki dedicated to the deities of heav
 en. and the Suki to those of earth, wer, 1 first purified and then decorated Severa l hundred military and naval officers O 1 distinction, peers and other dignitarie;
 assembled at the waiting hall. All wer,
 attired in full ceremonial dress, the Jap anese ladies wearing the ancient cour robes
 | The crown princess, princes and prin cesses of the blood and other members
 of the imperial family then entered the pavilion temporarily built for their re ception. Presently the Emperor came in i followed by his retinue. The guard O 1 honor, consisting of p-c.sed officers ant
 men from the bodyguard troops, were ar
 1ayed outside the main gates of tn, | shrines. A score of coronation officials proceeded to the torii or Shinto gates a 1 the four sides of the grounus and tool their posts as the guard of honor The,
 were the elegant ceremonial dress of an
 cient courtiers. It consisted of a shor 1 robe of light blue color, an unlined gar | ment, a loose tunic with long train, { l sleeveless undergarment pair of inne l trousers a pair of outer trousers and peweled belt; a sword with broad girdle a flat quiver with arrows; bow \ pair of shallow shoes ana a consecratet surpliee. On their heads the guards wor, ! a coronet with a pennant of silk gauz l coiled at the back. dozen officials il 1 similar COStIlmn tnnly their nOCtS right and letf of the v;;i. completing fascinating picture of ancient Japan. The Sacred Shoe
 | On stand were placed sacred shoes O. pure gold brocade and bedding witt 1 sacred clothes thereon made of pure raw silk thread. On small e.gnt-edged tablets were bamboo baskets containing the | sacred vestments of silk and cotton l Ritualists then proceeded to the two 1 shrines of heaven and earth and pre-. ! pared the seats for the reception of the respective groups of spirits The seat ! were arranged on the top of an elevated throne in the innermost section of tht l shrnes. each being covered with a smal mating bordered with pure white hemr cloth.
 1 Now twilight had come and sacred lamps, one of white. the other of black 1 were lighted at the corners of the shrine: | While sacred bOnf1re Dlazed at the
 southern gate. Advancing slowly. Emperor, attended by ms suite, made i his entry into the "h,:I of bathing. l Courtiers carrying lighsec torches led thu procession. The dancing flames, tho 1 noiseless advance over silent corridors i the hush of the spectators-all contrib
 uted to a scene that was profoundly i'm pressive
 The Emperor retired and took bath
 of purification, wearing a bathing vest l ment of hemp. He was then garbed in 3 ceremonial costume of pure white silk without figure or design. Again purify l ing his hands, he took baton from d l chamberlain. and gave the signal foi l the procession to the Yuki shrine, tc which the heavenly deities had been previously summoned.
 Japanese Dignataries
 1 Meantime the Japanese dignitaries who had assembled in the waiting hall were escorted to pavilion built out side the main gate to the south of the
 shrine As they moved forward, strains
 of music arose from thu imperial cook ing hall. This was the ancient song of the rice-hullers played by court musi- clans on flutes, bells and drums. The sacred rice was being hulled, cleaned and boiled by the ritualists. Besides the rice other food was being prepared cakes, ear-shell soup, sea-weed soup