Imperial Valley press., 1928-09-26
RICH CEREMONY
in WEDDING OF
JAPAN'S PRINCE
First of Rites to Be Held
in Chiyoda Castle,
Tokyo.
BY MILHS w. VAUGHN
United Press Staff Correspondent

~~A@S~A A sNSo 1SuA2 correspondent
TOKYO, Sept. 26-The first of
the ceremonies of the wedding of
Yasuhito, Chichibuno -miya. heir
presumptive to the throne of Japan.
to Miss SetSu Matsudalra, daughter
of the Ambassador designate 20
Great Britain, Tsuneo Matsudaira.
viii be held in the Chiyoda Castle in
Tokyo today when the approaching
nuptials viii be reported with an
cient Shinto ceremonies to the
Shrine of the Imperial Ancestors.
1t viii be the first time in history
that an heir presumptive to the
Dragon Throne of Nippon has been
married TO commoner-for Miss
Matsudaira really is considered a
commoner by all Japan despite the
fact she was given a title in her
Uncle s family shortly after her
betrothal to Prince Chichibu was ar
ranged.
Friday, the date of the wedding,
was decided only after prolonged
consideration of the lucky days of
the ancient Chinese lunar calendar,
the fifth yellow day finally being
decided upon as a Dai-An' or day
Of "Great Luck or safety.
The Chinese lunar calendar as in
terpreted by the japanese divides
DAYS into the 10 elements of the
cosmos, each element with color,
yellow being the fifth or center
color-decidcd upon as an auspic
ieus color for the young couple.
Costumes Elaborate
Elaborate wedding costumes for
the ceremonies were completed early
this month. and Prince Chichibu is
reported to have exercised consid
cradle conomy-utilizing largely
the costumes prepared for his ''com-
ing-of-ag ceremony, including:
A robe of black silk decorated with
q FLYING crane and a white cloud;
Under robes of black silk with
figures of water caloptra in Buk-
kumwood color;
Silk trousers with figures in scar
let and small hollyhocks;
A scarlet sash with the water
caloptra figure.
Hakama, or over-shirt, of silk
decorated with a white hailstonp
and bird-nest figure, with second
hakama of scarlet silk;
Topping this elaborate costume
the Prince will wear a coronet of
black silk gauzc over which is seat
tered the 16-leaved Imperial Chrys-
anthemum crest of the rulers, of
Japan. All in all the Princes cos
tune will 60 back TO traditions of
Japan extending through a thousand
years.
Miss Matsudaira Will wear an
elaborate five-ply kimono of the old
style. with very long sleeves, pink
in color and bordered at its bottom
with a cloud pattern surmounting
conventional figure supposed TO
. represent an old-style japanese cas-
tie. Her undergarments will be of
pink unfigured silk. Over her
shoulders she will wear a very elab-
crate cape-like garment known as
q karaginu" of light green
lozenge pattern decorated with hol-
lyhocks.
Prefers Foreign Attire
Miss Matsudaira probably will do
her hair in the old formal wedding
style known as "Osuberakasi =
which defies description but might
be said to resemble a modified POM
padour with a three fingered figure
surmounting a comb worn over the
forehead. She will carry a cypress
braid fan decorated with the tradi-
tional trees-the pine, bamboo and
plum-and a figure of a flying
crane and cloud.
Once married, it is understood,
the Princess will wear japanese
clothes only on formal occasions as
she prefers the foreign clothing 10
which she became accustomed while
in school in Washington, where her
father was ambassador until a few
months ago. The Prince also will
be glad to discard his heavy and
awkward wedding robes, as he likes
nothing better than an old golf suit
or pair Of riding breeches.
The couple will make their home
in the new, foreign style castle re-
gently built for the Prince in ONO
techo, Akasaka ward. Tokyo, about
one mile from the Imperial Palace.