The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1915-11-12
THRONE ATTAINED
BY JAPAN'S RULER
People Witness Accession for
First Time Since Empire
Was Established.
CEREMONIES OF SPLENDOR
United States and Other Foreign
Countries Were Officially
Represented.

in history, the people of Japan and
the representatives of the people OF
foreign lands were present today at
the coronation OF a Mikado, when
Yoshihito, son of Mutsuhito, acceded
to the throne OF Nippon.
The story of this epochal event is
the history of old Japan epitomized
1t is the story of the Japanese deities
of heaven and earth, of the venera-
tion of the imperial ancestral gods
and of the formal accession to sancti-
ty of the monarch of today
Yoshihito-direct descendant of the
immortal Jimmu, the first Emperor
and founder of the empire and des-
cendant also, according to tradition,
of the sun goddess and imperial
grand anoestress. Amaterasu OmiI
kami, who dewitt in the heavenly re-
gions in prehistoric ages.
The essence of the accession cere-
mony centred about the Kashiko-
dokoro 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
necklace and the sacred sword are
known as the imperial treasures and
symbolic the imperial power. The
ceremony of this morning was rit-
ual service of ancestor worship and
was held in specially erected hall
in the palace grounds known as the
Shunkoden Hall, where was en-
shrined the sacred mirror brought
from Toxic.
THE NEW JAPAN.
The drawing of the veil of seclu-
sion and the admission of foreigners
and of the people of Japan to the
holy service of accession was the
visual evidence of Japan's transition
from the early years, when the Em-
peror stood apart in severe separa-
ton from the world to a time when
without abandoning his heavenly
given snctity he consented to en-
erge from his historic isolation. In
the olden days the people were not
present. Vaguely they heard that
the monarch had acceded to his
throne, but they had no prerogativc
in the matter.
Today they were actually invited
TO the ceremonies. Their representa-
tives in Parliament We're there group
ed about the imperial throne SYM
bolizing the new Japan.
The Shunkoden was Of plain, un-
vanished wood and consisted OF an
outer hall, inner hall and shrine. 1t
was simply decorated. Indeed, sim
plicity dominates the coronation cere-
monies. The decorations were those
OF Shintoism, the religion adopted by
the court, which is more pronounced
ly a series of rites than a religion
pure and simple. Besides the main
hall were built other halls and an
nexes for the accommodation of the
people participating in and witness
ing the ceremonies.
At the appointed time the two
gates "kenrel-mon" and "kenshun-
mon"-respectively facing south and
east-were opened for the reception
of those allowed to attend the grand
ceremony. The guards about the
gates were exclusively those in the
service of the imperial household.
Then arrived the guests-distinguis
ed offfcials. civil and military, mobiles.
the members of the house OF repre-
sentatives and the house OF peers,
the diplomatic corps and other digni-
taries accompanied by their wives, all
in full dress or uniform. The lor-
eign women wore the ceremonial
robes of the European court with
train.
AMERICAS REPRESENTATIVES,.
The United States was represented
by Ambassador errge w. Guthrie
and Mrs. Guthrie. On. account of
lack OF sufficient space. it was neces-
sary to abandon the plan OF inviting
the suites Of the American and other
diplomats representatives. They
will attend the second coronation
ceremony, In shissiiden Hall this af.
ternoon. The guests were ushered
to the waiting halls. The n asters OF
ceremonies. rituals, court musicians
aud other officials and )fiicers par.
ticipating in the ceremonies also ar.
,.t., I,,a all