Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-10
PEOPLE OF JAPAN MINGLE
WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF
FOREIGN LANDS AT TODAY'S
CORONATION OF YOSH|AITl

| kioto. Nov. lQ-For the first time
in history. the people of Japan and the
representatives Of the people of for
eign lands were present today at the
coronation Of a Mikado when Yosh-
/ hite, son Of Mutsuhito. acceded 10 the
throne of Nippon.
| The story of this epochaI event is
the history Of old Japan epitomized.
II is the story of the japanese deities
of Heaven and Earth, Of the venera-
ton Of the imperial ancestral gods
and Of the formal accession TO sane
THY of the monarch Of today oshi-
I hito-direct descendant Of the imnor
! tai Jimmu the first Emperor and
founder Of the Empire and descendant
also, according to tradition, Of the Sun
4 Goddess and imperial grand Ances-
tress, Amaterasu Omikami. who dwelt
| in the Heavenly regions in prehist ORIG
ages
! The essence Of the accession cere-
mony centered about the kashikodo-
koro or Sacred Mirror which repre-
sents the spirit Of the Sun Goddess
Amaterasu. This divine mirror. sup
posed to be of bronze, though no NOR
tai eyes have gazed upon it, together
with the sacred comma -sha ped jewel y
necklace and the sacred sword are
known as the Imperial Treasures and
symbolic the Imperial power. The
ceremony Of this morning was a ritual
service of ancestor worship and was
held in a specially erected hall in the
palace grounds known as the Shunko
den hall where was enshrined the sa
cred mirror brought from Toxic.
Evidence Of transition
The drawing Of the veil Of seclus IN
and the admission Of foreigners and
Of the people Of Japan 10 the holy ser
vice Of accession was the visual evil
dence OF Japan's transition firm the
early wears when the Emperor stood
apart in severe separation from the
world TO time when without aban-
| doning his heavenly given sanctity he
Consented ID emerge r IN lis historic
isolation In the olden dayr the peo-
| pie We're not present Vaguely they
heard that the monarch had acceded
| TO his throne but they had no pre-
negative in the matter.
! Today they were actually invited to
the ceremonies. Their representatives
| in parliament We're there grouped
about the imperial throne symbolizing
the new Japan.
| The Shunkoden was Of plain unvar-
nished wood and consisted Of an outer
hall, inner hall and shrine II was
simply decorated. Indeed simplicity
dominates the coronation ceremonies.
| The decorations were those of Shinto-
ism. the religion adopted by the court.
which IS more pronouncedly a series
of rites than religion pure and sim
pie Beside the main hall were built
other halls and annexes for the ac-
commodation Of the people partici-
pating in and witnessing the cere-
monies
Al the a % inted time the -wo gates
''kenrei-mon" and ''kenshun- nom
respectively facing south and east
were opened for the reception Of those
allowed to attend the grand ceremony
The guards about the gates We're ex-
clusively those in the service Of tine
Imperial household Then arrived the
suests-distinguish officials. civil
land military mobiles. the members 81
the House Of Representative and the
House Of Peers, the diplomatic corps
and other dignitaries accompanied by
their wives, all in full dress or uni
form The foreign women wore TIN
ceremonial robes Of the European
corIi with train.
v. S. Represented
The JriteG States was represented
by Ambassa dor George w. Guthrie
and Mrs. Guthrie: BY Post Wheeler
he first secretary Of the embassy, an(
Mrs. Wheeler. The guests were ushere(
10 the waiting halls. The masters q
ceremonies, rituals court musicians
and other officials and officers partici
pating in the ceremonies also arriv eC
in due time, all dressed in ancien
ceremonial costume or uniform 4
democratic note in the matter Of dres!
was that the members of the Hous.
Of Representative like Amhassado
Guthrie wore plain evening dress
Other Japanese who did not have al
actual part in the ceremonies wore
uniform Of black coat, white waist
coat and white trousers
Subsequently the princes and T,rjn
cesses Of the blood and other mem
bers II the imperial house entered In
Giyout hall. nearby. and there await
Led the arrival of the Emperor Short
~ afterward the Emperor made hi
entry. After a brief rest His Majest,
changed his dress, donning the cere
monial Shinto costume, and cleanse
MS hands with sacred water Mean
Whlte the Prices and princesses Of tn
blood. household minister, lord keepe
O the privy seal lord chamberlain
chief coronation commissioner. gran
master Of ceremonies chamberlains
maids-o e-honor and other court dig
nitaries changed their costume to th
ancient ceremonial court robes
Nine Princesses
There were nine Imperial princesse
at the coronation ceremonies, four O
them sisters Of the Emperor Thri
Imperial Highnesses Asaka, Higashi
kuni, kita- Shirakawa and Takeda
- highest rank is the Princess Kan
ia, laughter of the late Prince Sanjc
d famous kioto lord of the Meiii era
Next in rank is the Princess Higashi
Fushin1i. There follow the Princes
FuShini IT the Princess Euni an