Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-05
KYOI0 IS UNIQUE
IN APANEGUFE
City Has Long Been Scene of
CDrOnations-MeW One
Is Planned.

Japan's Imperial Coronation Com
mission has just announced that the
Emperor Hirohito viii be crowned in
Kyoto in November, 1923.
'Kyoto. where the 125th or an un-
broken line of Japanese Emporsrs will
be crowned, is the eternal city OF
japan" says a bulletin from the Ma
tional Geographic Society. what
Jerusalem signifies TO the Jewish
world and Rome to the I1atins. Kyoto
means to the Land OF the Rising Sun.
1t is the focus of history, the center
of religion, the seat OF learning and
the patron city of art.
Modern Ky0tO WAS laid out accord
ing to imperial decree in the year 1914
a. d., and was the Emperor's place
Of residence until the royal family
moved to Toxic, the present capital,
in 1862" continues the bulletin. Fol
lowing the example set by the Chi
nese Tang Enperors in planning their
capital. the Japanese city builders laid
out Kyoto in squares, nine long.
straight streets running in either direc-
ton, cutting each other at right an
giles. This original plan has been
somewhat interfsred with by various
CONGREGATIONS and consequent rebuild.
ing. Midway through the city runs
the rocky bed OF the Kamogawa, or
Duck River and on three sides rise
ragged hills. covered with pine and
maple. from whose leafy .obscurity
peep historic temples and inviting tea
houses. Away on the plain to the
south lies the busy manufacturing
district of Osaka.
Gosho Bellies Name.
THE Gosho, or old imperial palace,
rfyc nm ~ trlN
rebuilt after a fire in 1854. 1t IN a
collection Of one-storied buildings, set
in gardens of the best Japanese land
scape style, the whole covering 20
acres. Entering by the Gate OF the
Honorable Kitchen the visitor, after
leaving hts shoes, wanders through
one hall after aiother, bare Of furni-
ture, but decorated in the golden
lacquer Of Japan,s most noted artists.
pillars and beams OF implanted
wood show q grain fine as satin.
Floors are covered with soft white
mating. Sliding screens, causing the
artificial landscaping or the fnterven.
ing garden to seem a part Of the pal
ace itself. form the walls. The whole
palace gives an impression Of mellow
and severely simple beauty.
MILO Castle has stone walls and a.
mote and curved caves, like the ORR
entail palaces of dreams. 1t used TO
be the residence of the Shoguns when
those ministers were more powerful
than the Emperors in whose name they
ruled. After Admiral Perry's advent
in Toxic Bay, the Emperor dismissed
his naughty deputy and held the reins
himself. The gl0ries OF Milo Castle
were designed to display to the Jap
anese world the superior prestige of
the Shoguns over the Emperors. Now
it is imperial property.
With the rival courts OF Shotgun
and Emperor as patrons. art early
fiourished in kyoto. workers In
bronze and ivory, artists IN brocades
and creDes, skilled enbroiderers and
makers of danascene and c1oisonne
f1ocked to the capital Possibly be-
cause OF this early start, st Is in Kyuto
that the finest examples Of Japanese
artistry are to be soon, and workers
there are said to be least contaminated
by the commercia1fsm OF modern large-
scale production.
MANY artists work In their own
homes and sell only by appointment.
A prospective buyer Is introduced,
sips tea with the proprietor, discusses
the weather and joys of his tour, then
sees few objects OF art brought from
their boxes, and at last energies tri-
umphant with a cloisonne vase or
damascene cigarette case.
The clear waters OF the Kamogawa
River are said to be without rival IN
the matter OF setting bright-colored
silk dyes. Kfmonos OF Kyoto Geisha
girls are celebrated for the magniii.
cence OF their coloring. On festival
days the streets become veratable
flower gardens.
No Secrets I'm Homes.
"Interminable streets of low, gray.
tiled houses are monotonous in archi.
lecture, but ever alive with interest
to the foreigner. From his Jinrikisha
seat the tourist reviews the home life
OF Japan in minute detail for I'm fair
weather the sliding paper screens of
the wall panels are pushed back, leav-
ing shop and dwelling open to the
world. AT night the erect is one con.
tinuous stage. Grandfather in XII.
mono and spectacles reads the paper,
mother feeds the baby, little boys nod
at their sums. artists toll over paint
ing or embroidery. a fat man sleeps on
the floor with his mouth open. In a
tea house guests are being served tea
and orange and sponge cake. One
party Is gay with sake. The reel goes
on and on as long as one rides. 1t Is
the monotonous every day Of a great
japanese city. but fairy dream to the
newly arrived tourist.
"Kyoto has famous temples, Bud
dhist and Shinto. To visit them all
would require weeks, for each has its
unique interest. In one is a great
bronze bell. struck like a gong from
the outside instead of by a clapper
from within. The world-famous gar
dens of another contain a century-old
pine tree, trained to the shape OF a
junk in fun sail. The giant beams
or newer temple were set in place
by ropes braided from the hair of
woman believers too poor to contribute
coin. These great black cables are
preserved as an object lesson in faith.
fitness.
ITO this ancient city OF history, art
and religion the constitution OF japan
requires the Emperor to return for
the coronation ceremony, many Gus.
toms OF which are handed down from
the dawn of riyiIizo4 ;ry,