Evening star., 1915-11-10
Nine Imperial Princesses.

There were nine imperial princesses
at the coronation ceremonies, four of
them sisters of the emperor: Their
Inperial Highnesses Asaka. Higashi-
kuni, Kita-Shirakawa and Takeda- Of
highest rank is the Princess Kan-in,
daughter of the late Prince SanJo.
famous Kioto lord of the Meiji era
Next in rank is the Princess Higashi-
Fushimi. Then follow the Princess
Fushirni. jr the Princess kuni and the
Princess Nashimoto.
The guards of honor assembled in
the courtyard without the gates, and
high officials attached to the corona
tion committee took positions to the
right and left sides of the south gate
newly built for the entrance of the
Shunkodeu hall The costumes worn
by these officials We're ceremonial court
robes of very ancient origin.
Two senior and twelve Junior off,
cials of the coronation committee IN
charge of the songs and snare drums,
or tsuzumi, entered the courtyard ana
stood in two separate rows. right ana
left. facing the main hall OF the Shuh-
koden. The two senior ofnclais We're
d~essed in scarlet oyerdress The
junior officials We're dressed In almost
the same manner
4 score of other high officials wear
ing similar ceremonial robes and car
quivers entered the hall and took their
places Their role was that of the
ancient warrior of the guard 1hose
of the front row wore black ropes
with coronet and cockades. Their bust
was encircled with corselet OF tnih
gold plated metal bound together with
leather strips. Around the protecting
corselet was a girdle from which huns
the sword. This together with the
how. culver and arrows formed the
weapons of the ancients. those OF
the back row wore robes of scarlet
and carried pot-shaped quivers.
Announce Start of Rites.
IT given signal the chief partici-
I.5nts in the ceremony seated them
s.,ves in japanese fashion on cushions
resting on the floor or mating. Then
the Founders of gongs and drums beat
t..eir instruments three times by way
of announcing the commencement OF
the ceremony Led by high court Of
fcials, all those present. including civil
and military officers and the dlplo-
matt corps who had assembled IN the
antcchamber, rose and entered the
main hall. All these people were seat
ed also. There was period OF I'M
pressive silence suddenly broken by
strains of music. The steady. clear
note of the japanese flute was sue
ceeded by harmonious softer strains,
- the kagura or Shinto music played
the court musicians.
%s the chords filled the air the doors
90 the imperial sanctuary were SLOWLY
O ned and the ritualists placed sacred
ings before the altar. This over,
chief ritualist, majestic in flowing
-u' -s and wearing the stiff oval bon
= of the Shinto priest, knelt before
tue altar and then. rising, read the
--aorito" or ceremonial address. an
nouncing to the soul of the imperial
ancestress, AnaterasU Omikami the
beginning of the grand accession or
coronation ceremonies.
Then Comes Supreme Moment.
Another profound silence. 1t was
the precursor of the supreme moment
and this was the stately entry of the
emperor and his suite. The grand
master of ceremonies. the minister of
the household and two chamberIains
preceded his majesty. and each cham
berlain bore d sacred object, one the
sword and the other the comma-sha ped
jewel necklace. Following the emperor
were the lord chamberlain. chamber
lains. chief aid-de-camp, aids-de-camp
and at a short distance the princes
of the blood. Count Okuma, the prime
minister. the lord keeper of the privy
seal and the chief coronation commits
sioner.
All rose his majesty entered and
bowed low as he slowly made his way
toward the sanctuary. With stately
mods to right and left, the emperor
acknowledged the respectful greetings
o. the court. his people and the en-
voya from foreign lands
The emperor was a striking vision
In a pure milk White robe o. gloss
ik. The color white is aIwats wo.n
ia ritual >serTlces, being symbolic of
purity and sanctity. All the garments
outer ana inner, We're white in ac-
cordance with the ancient court regu-
lations. and the shoes were Of the
same hue. The robe, which was en-
circled with Z belt Of pure white. was
IN the form of a kimono and hung
loosely below the knee. with two flaps
at the bottom just touching the floor
Ehe sleeves hung free and were about
TWO teet in length. The outer gar
inent was closed by being folded over
rom the left to the right and was
tastened with a large silk cord at the
collar.
ON his head the emperor wore a silk
Hfoaet OF imperial shape which was
astered under the chin with bands
II SILK.
Seats Himself on Dais.
Ihe emperor. accompa MED by the
-'41nDerla!Hs holding the sacred sword
' |-'''--' SedtTi H!iHSeII on a dalS q
fhe amer side Of the hall The sacred
sword and jewel were placed on stands
beside him The divine mirror had been
previously enshrined in the sanctuary
~Hcn was decorated with bamboo
binds. silk portieres and silk curtains
lhe enperors seat was "a square mat
boIGereI with brOcade woven alternate
y with vertical lines and floral pat
'eFhs- TIE princes and princesses of
the blood and other members of the
imperial family stood in a row in the
southern gallery of the hall the prime
minister, household minister lord keen
eE OF the pr'Ey seal, lord Charnber,ai in
grand master OF ceremonies, chant ber-
idIHs, lord steward 10 the empress vice
grand master Of ceremonies and maids
OF honor standing behind the members
OF tine imperial family The chief aid
oe-Fafnp and aids camp, who were
IN full military dress, stood nearby
Thus was set this historic picture Of
o:d Japan in marvel Of costume and
maze OF color
After d brief interval the emperor
rose, and, facing the imperial sanctu-
ary, read an address before the kashi-
kodokoro, announcing his coronation
as the one hundred and twenty-second
ruler Of the Japanese empire and its
dependencies and his acquisition of the
sacred treasures. Then he murmured a
prayer beseechinG the protection of hi
empire by the imperial ancestors. The
prayer concluded, the emperor took the
sacred bell held by a chamberlain and
rang IT before the sanctuary according
to, Shinto ritual. When the emperor
had resumed his place on the dais the
crown prince, princes and princesses o
the blood and other members of the i'm
- 90. a.