Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-10

I these costumes they WILL also appear
at the Grand Harvest Thanksgivi.-g
Festival but at social functions such
as banquets dinners. official balls,
| they Will be gowned in European
dress.
I The peeresses Of the realm also wore
the historic court robe.
The guards of honor assembled in
/ the courtyard without the gates, and
high officials attached to the corona-
4 ton cocinittee took positions to The
/ right and left sides Of the south gate,
/ newly built for the entrance Of the
Shunkoden hall. The costumes worn
I by these officials were ceremonial
court robes Of very ancient origin.
4 The outer garment was a loose vest
ment worn by the courtiers in oldeu
times and resembling in form the
| flowing robes still used by Shinto
/. priests. The color was light blue.
Over this was long garment of gold
! brocade. Like warriors of old, they
carried long lacquered bows in their
/ hands Wtils qUiVers Of arrows We're
Surg across their backs. Each mar
Wore a corcnet with pennant of silk
earze cooled at the back Of the head
While or the sides, just above the ears.
We're pair of cockades in the shape
of a fan and made Of horse hair. In
ner and outer trousers, a belt Of white
/ cloth, and leggings Of scarlet as we'll
| as sword with a broad girdle com
pleted the costume. A many colored
beautiful scene slowly grew
/ Two senior and twelve junior off,
1
charge Of the gongs and snare drums
or tsuZuni entered the courtyard and
stood in two separate rows right ana
1 left facing the main hall of the Shun-
| koden- The two senior officials were
! dressed in scarlet overdress. They
| wore coronets or hoods woven with
| silk gauZe and carried old fashioned
swords at their side. Their wide full
trousers showed below the robe. The
junior officials were dressed in almost
the same manner. but the over dress
was OF blue and their loose trousers
We're of white. They wore cocka6es
/ White legglngs and shoes of braided
4 cloth. Next entered 40 high officials
Of the coronation committee Eight Of
them carried swords in double faced
brocade scabbards. Eight others car
rled bows in sacks of flaming scarlet
silk and still another eight bore ouiv-
ers Of arrows in sacks of purple The
last group held shining shields and
halberds. Their dresses were almost
the same style as that worn by the
men in charge of the gongs and drums.
those Of the sword bearers were
black. The guards holding the bows
and arrows wore scarlet and those
holding shields and halberds were at
tired in light blue, the difference of
color representing the degree of their
official rank.
score of other high officials wear
ing similar ceremonial robes and car
fylng swords, bows and arrows in
quIVers entered the hall and took their
places. Their role was that of the
ancient warrior Of the guard Those
or the front row wore black robes
with coronet and cockades. Their
bust was encircled with corselet Of
thin soldplated metal bound together
with leather strips Around the pro
tectIng corselet was a girdle from
winch hung the sword. This together
Nlh Inc DOW, culver and arrows
formed the weapons of the ancients
THOSE Of the back row wore robes Of
scarlet and carried po1-shaped ouivers.
Al given signal the chief pargici-
pants IN the ceremony seated them
selves in japanese fashion on cusb
IONS resting on the floor or mating.
Ihen the Founders Of gonrs and
drums beat their instruments three
tunes by way Of announcing the COM
mehcement Of the ceremony. Led by
1Ash court officials all those present
ihc4udlhg CIVIL and military officers
ana lhe diplomatic corps who had as
sembled in the ante chamber rose and
entered the main hall. All these neo-
pIe We're seated also. There was a
period Of impressive silence suddar,,,
broken by strains of music. The
! ''eduS' cleaf note Of the japanese flute
was succeeded by harmonious softer
Stralns' symbolic of sanctity and ioy.
lhss was the kagura or Shinto music
: prayed by the court musicians. As the
; chords filled the air the doors of tho
imperial sanctuary were SLOWLY opened
: ana the ritualists placed sacred OFFER
: ings before the altar This over the
! cileI rltuallst. majestic in flowing
: fooes and wearing the stiff oval hon
] net OF the Shinto priest, knelt before
me altar and then rising read the
: hoil1o or ceremonial address an
t hounclns to the soul of the irnnerisl
ancestress, Amaterasu Omikanni III.
/ heginnlnS Of the grand accession y,
!, coronation ceremonies. Another nro.
iouho slience. il was the precursor
. ~ the supreme moment and this wa
me stately entry of the Emperor and
MS suite The grand master Of cere-
MONIES, the minister Of the household
and two chamberlains preceded His
MAJESTY and each chamberlain bore a
sacred object. one the sword and the
olher the comma shaped jewel-neck-
: lace Following the Emperor were the
: lord chamberlain. chamberlains chief
> AIDE de-camp, and at a short distance
:" the princes Of the blood.
Emperor Enters
! | All rose as His Majesty entered and
tbowed low as he slowly made his way
, towards the sanctuary. With stately
mods to right and left the Emperor
! acknowledged the respectful greetings
of the court, his peoplo and the an =