Arizona republican., 1915-11-15
In Pr1naitivs Huts 0f Thatch Amd Reed
 Y0s}lihlt0 Observes Coronation Rite
TRepukIican A. p. Leased wirel

of thatch and reed Emperor Yoshi-
 hito offered a feast of sacred rice to
 the spirits of hIs ancestors and to
 the deities of heaven and earth and
 then himself partook of the sacred
 food. Many Japanese regard this
 ceremony as the culminating and
 chief rites of all since through it the
 emperor receives the confirmation of
 his hereditary right to deification.
 In Japanese the ceremony is called
 ~naijosai.' which translated implies
 Grand Harvest. or Thanksgiving
 Festival The ceremony proper was
 preceded by many preiimina ries, in-
 cludins that Of yesterday, when
 prayers were offered for the long
 evi,y of the imperial house, and the
 sending this morning of imperial
 meSsengeTs to each of the 112 shrines
 throughout the empire to notify the
 spirits of the imperial ancestors that
 the grand harvest festival was about
 tu becin.
 still another preliminary held in the
 morning was the offering of food be-
 fore the imperial sanctuary in the
 Shunkoden hall of the Kiotc palace. \ chamberlain and maid-o of-honor
 represented the emperor and empress in ancient costume
 Prior also. to the festival proper
 was held a ceremonial dedicated to inviting the spirits of the deities of
 heaven and earth to come to their respective shrines in the Daijo halls.
 These two shrines. the Yuki dedi- cated to the deities of heaven, $nd The Suki to those of earth. were first purified and then decorated. Several hundred military and naval officers of distinction, peers and other digni- tarieS assembled at the waiting hall All were attired in full ceremonial dress the Japanese ladies wearing the ancient court robes.
 The crown prince, princes and princesses of the blood and other members of the imperial family then entered the pavilion temporarily built for their reception. Presently the em- peror came in. followed by his retinue. The guard of honor, consist ing of picked officers and men from the bOdyguard troops. were arrayed outside the main gates of the shrineS- \ score of coronation of ficisls proceeded to the torii or Shinto gates at the four sides of the grounds sAAa'A A'ftfr AAlt-L iNSNS dS lllt SuslIu Ol honor. They wore the elegant cere- monial dress of ancient courtiers. It consisted of short robe of light blue color. an unlined garment. a loose tunfc with long train. a sleeve less undergarment, a pair of inner trousers. a pair of outer trousers and jeweled belt: a sword with a broad girdle; a flat quiver with ar n shoes. and a cOnsecrated surpliee. On | their heads the guards were a coro- 1 net with a pennant of silk . gauge ! coiled at the back. A dozen officials | in similar costume took their posts 1 on tine right and left Of the torii | completing a fascinating picture of ancient Jaran.
 On stand were placed sacred | shoes of pure gold brOcade and bed ding with sacred clothes thereon I made of pure raw silk thread. On ! small eight legged tables were ban- boo baskets containing the sacred | vestments Of silk and cotton. Rit- ualistS then proceeded 70 the two | Shrines of heaven and earth and pre- | T.aEed the seats for the reception of | the respective groups of spirits The seats were arranged on the top of an | ele- atzd throne in the innermost sec | tion of the shrines, each being GOV | cred with q small mating bordered | with pure white hemp cloth
 Now twilight had come and sacred | lamps. one of white. the other of | black were lighted at the corners of | he shrines while a sacred bonfire ] hlazed at the southern gate. Ad- vancing slowly. the emperor. attended ] hv his suite. made his entry into the hall of bathing Courtiers car Iying lighted torches led the pro- cession. The dancing flames the noiseless advance over silent corri- dors. the hush of the spectators-all contributed to a scene that was pro- foundly impressive.
 The emperor retired and took a hath of notification, wearing a bath ing vestment of hemp. He was then carbed in a ceremonial costume of pure white silk without figure or design Again purifying his hands, he took a baton from chamberlain. and gave the signal for the process sion to the Yuki shrine. to which the heavenly deities had been previously summoned.
 Meantime the Japanese dignitaries who had assembled in the waiting hall were escorted to 9 pavilion built out side the main gate to the south of he shrines. As they moved forward, strains of music arose from the inn perial cooking hall. This was the an cienr song of the rice-hullers played by court musicians on flutes, bells and drums. The sacred rice was be- ing hulled, cleansed and boiled by the ritualiSts- Besides the rice other food W1s being prepared-cakes. ear shell soup. sea-weed soup, sacred cake and other things. This preparation over proceeded TO the two shrines carrying food offerings from the Yuki and Suki districts consisting of dried sea slug. dried cuttle-fish salmon. ear shell. edible sea-weed, chestnuts dried. persimrnons. pears. bean rice cakes and sake. They also carried stick of white wood. a jug, knife-box. iowel-hoN, a chop stick box, and sake cups of unglazed earthen ware
 Then ha chief rifr1aIiSt |