The Washington times., 1923-05-18

ception of Great Britain, Prince
Hirohito Of Japan is an outstand.
ing figure at the present time be.
cause of his own personal character
lstlcs. And apart from the princi-
pals in this most important Japan
csc event, the imperial wedding,
because or the old Japanese customs
which 1T will bring out, will have
an interest to the entire world.
The greater part of one week will
be set aside for the marriage of
this twenty-two-year-old boy to
ms tWenty-one.year-old empress-to-
be. During this time the imperial
palace-that mysterious place of low
greenfield rooted buildings where
the ordinary mortal never goes
will be the scene of state banuuets.
OF reunions of the Imperial families,
and the outsiders among the
diplomatic corps who are privileged
to see just a few Of the functions
Will be the envy of all their foreign
friends in Tokyo.
Elaborate Ceremonials.
To the average young woman in
America who contemplates matri.
mony a Paris gown and a. suffi.
cheney of orange blossoms and
orchids are the chief essentials OF
successful wedding party. Not
so with the Imperial family of
Japan. For whether they like il
or not, the Imperial couple in Tokyo
must be the center OF a week.
social activity which includes the
expenditure of 100000 $3.50 0O0(
they must change their state cos.
tunes five times during the actual
ceremony of the wedding, and final.
~ they must report on all the cere.
monies OF the wedding to the tombs
OF the Imperial ancestors who sleer
at lse and kyoto. And when one
consideres that the prince regent
and his beautiful japanese prin.
cess are just ordinary folks who
like nothing so we'll as a game of
golf or tennis, the ordeals of the
matter of getting married can he
somewhat appreciated.
The wedding of the prince re-
gent was first reported as far back
as 1920. but the official announce
ment OF the coming event was not
made until this year. During rte
time between the press of Tokvo
was filled with various. tfufnors
some to the effect that the LATE
Prince Yamagata. atffEtat. time roresi.
dent of the privy council, and ? a
member Of the Chosiu clan. was
bitterly opposing the marriage he
cause the Empress-to-be was mem
Der OF a rival clan, the Satsu,nas
The prince regent AS early as then
asserted himself, and before he no.
gan his journey to Europe-the
first, by the way, that anv member
Of the reigning family of Japan
ever made abroad-he pointed ONT
through an Imperial household an
nouncement that the wedding would
be held as planned. and that onpo.
slt1on to his plans would not affect
them in the least At that time
the wedding was planned for an
earlier date, and then came the
death Of Prince Higashi Fushimi
and because Of the necessity for q
period Of mourning at the Imperial
Court. the Imperial wedding had ia
ne postponed. During the month of
April the prince regent visited For.
lnoSa' ana 1t was expected at that
tltne that the official announcements
OF tne cate or the wedding would he
forthcoming Immediately after the
regents return, which it was.
Plans Made for Wedding.
All arrangements for the wedding
ceremony and the general MANS for
the wedding are now going forward
in Tokyo. The costumes for tho
imperial pair have been ordered and
consist Of old court costumes for
both and a western wedding cos.
tune for both the regent and his
Drlde. Due TO advance In prices in
Tokyo. the Department Of the I'm
perial Household first decided UNION
the expenditure Of 10000 $500
o"oD: when this arrangement was
eHplalned TO the prince regent, his
hishness said that he felt that such
extensive plans were not in keeping
with the times, and he requested
that sum equivalent to that spent
upon the marriage Of his imperia1
father. 100000 will be absolutely
necessary If the wedding is to he
carried out properly. In addition
to the money that will be snent on
the wedding itself, Y3O0 600 has
heen anDroDriated for repairs on the
kasumigaFekf Palace. where the
Imperial couple will live, and a large
sum has heen aDpropriated for the
building Of an imneria1 coach ans
for putting in the best shane the i'm.
perial motor cars which will he a
part Of the prince regents Official
establishment. These sums OF
money!, together with an imperial
donation Of VI 100000 for socia'
welfare work in Janan. A gift whicr
is to be a part Of the celebration
Of the imperial wedding will swell
the total expenditures incident tc
the marriage Of the immortal counle
to close hv the W 600 900 mark
approximately 81 900 900
To Invite All NOtabIes.
All heads Of missions in Tokyo
ambassadors and their families. and
military and naval attaches and
high ranking consular officials will
he invited to the imperial wod7in"
"nterta ailments at TIE Tmperia1
Palace. Mrs. Charles Burnett. wife
Of the American military ettache
and a friend Of the late Empress
Dowa ger of rapan. has hean com
nanded tn write q poem in honor
NJ the occa sin. This will probably
he one Of Mrs Rurnett's last con
trih'1tions to the neet~v Of .Tanan
- she and her husband arc expect
ine to return to America after tn
wedding. Among her work In the
mast have been nnens commenoor9
| tive Of the prince regents trip tC
| Europe. Of his accession to thu