Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-11-10
EP0CHAL EVENT IN
JAP HISTORY. EPlTOME
OF ANCIENT STORY

Stalls " the coronation committee iu
barge nf che gonLs and snare-drum-
nr tsuzumi entered the courtyard and
stood Boo tWo separate rows right and
Ieft facing the main hali 10 the Shun-
huatn. The two senior officials were
dressed In scarlet 0verdress They
w0re coranrts or hoods woven with
siik gauze and carried old-fashiuned
swords af their side. Their wide fuil
trousers showed beneath the robe
The Junior officials were dressed n
almost the same manner but the
oFerdress was ~ blue and their loose
trousers We're - white They wore
rocades. white legengs and shoes of
braided cloth Next entered forty
high officials % the coronation CONF
mittre Eight 81 them carried swords
boo dnuhiefaced brucade scahbards
Eight others carried bows ln sacks OF
flaming scarlet SILK ana stlH another
eight bore quiNers uf arrows ln sacks
of purple The last group held Shin
ing shields and halherds Their dress
es were almost the same style as that
worn hy The men in charge of the
gon2s and drums Those Of the
sword bearers were black The
guards holding the bows and arrows
ANA halherds were aitircd iu light
blue. the difference OF color represent
ms the degree OF their official rank
Warriors Of the Guard
a score of other high officials wear
ing similar ceremonial robes and carr
rring swords. bows and arrows in
luivers entered the hail and took their
places Their role was that of the
ancient Warrior OF the guard Those
" the front row wore block robes
with coronet and cocades Their bust
Was euclrcled with a corselet Of thin
goldplated metal bound together with
leather strips Around the protecting
corselet was girdle from which
hung the sword This together with
the bow. culver and arrows formed
the weapons Of the ancients Those
Of me back row wore robes OF scar
Tee and carried pot-shaped quivers
st given signal the chief partici-
pants DOB the ceremony seated Them
selves in Japanese fashion on cush-
ions resting on the floor OF mating
Then the Founders Of guugs and
drums beat their Instruments three
times by way Of announcing the COM
mcncement OF the ceremony Led by
high court officials am those present,
including civil and military officers
and the diplomatic corps who had ass
scmhled i'm the aute-chamher rose
ana entered the main hall All these
people were seated also There was
period Of impressive silence suddenly
broken by strains Of music The
steady clear note of the Japanese
flute was succeeded By harmonious
softer strains symbolic of sanctity and
joy This was the kagura or Shinto
music played hy the court musicians
AS the chords filled the air the doors
of the imperial sanctuary We're slowly
opened and the riualists placed sa-
cred offerings before the altar This
over. the chief ritualist majestic in
flowing robes and wearing the stiff
oval bonnet of the Shinto priest, knelt
before the altar and then rising, read
the "noritO' or imperial address
announcing TO the soul of the imperial
ancestress. Amaterusu. OmikamL the
beginning OF the grand accession or
coronation ceremonies. Another pro-
found silence II was the precursor
Of the supreme moment and this was
the stately entry OF the emperor and
his suite The grand master of cere-
monies the minister of the household
majesty and each chamberlain bore
sacred object ono the sword and the
other the Coma-shaped jewel neck
lace. Following the emperor We're the
lord chamberlain, chamberlaius chief
aide-de-camp aides de-camp and at
% short distance the princes of the
blood, Count 0kuma. the prime min
lister. the lord keeper Of the privy seal
aud the chief coronation commits
soner
An rose as his majesty entered and
bowed low as hc slowly made his
way towards the sanctuary With
stately mods % right and left the em-
perur acknowledged The respectful
greetings of hts court his people and
the cuNoys from foreign lands
Emperor a Striking Vision
The emperor was "a striking vision
On pure milk-white robe of gloss
silk The color white is always Worn
Jon ritual Services being symbolic Of
purity and sanetitv All the garments
outer ana inner were white. I'm ace
cordance with the ancient court regu-
lntions and the shoes were Of the
same hue The robe which was en-
circlpd with "a belt of pure white was
tn the form of q kimono and hung
loosely below the knee with two flaps
at the bottom just touching the floor
The sleeves hung free and were about
two feet I'm length The outer gar
mcnt was closed by being folded over
from the left TO the right and was
fastened with a large silk cord az the
collar
ON his head the emperor wore
silk corouet of imperial shape which
was fastened under the chin with
bands of silk
The emperor accompanied by the
chamberlains holding the sacred
sword and jewel seated himself on "a
das az the inner side of the hall The
sacred sword ana jewel were placed
ON stands beside him The divine
mirror had been previously enshrined
In the sanctuary which was decorated
with bamboo blinds, SILK portercs and
silk curtains The emperor's seat was
square mat hordered with brocade
woven alternately with vertical lines
and floral patterns The princes and
prlncesses of the blood and other
members ~ the imperial family stood
in row in the southern gallery of the
hall. The prime minister household
minister lord keeper of the privy
seal, lord chamberlain. grand master
of ceremonies. Chamherlains, lord
steward of the empress vice grand
master of ceremonies and maids-of-
honor standing behind the members
OF the imperial family The chief
alde-de-camp and aides-de-camp, who
were in FUN military dress. stood
nearby Thus was set This historic
picture eft Ola Japan In marvel of cos-
tune and muize of color
Address From Throne