Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-28
PRECEDENTS SHATTERED
WHEN PRINCE WEEDS
DIPLOMATS DAUGHTER
Continued from First Page.)

scribed, garments for the bride, a fan
of cypress wood, the tree of the sum-"
two fresh fish-"Tai," to the japanese
the king OF fiShes-and a cask of Spe-
cially purified sake The brides fam
lily sent in return gifts of Tai" and
sake. There had been many purifica-
ton rites also, and ancient ceremonies
designed to drive away evil spirits and
misfortune.
To overcome the technical obstacle
caused by Setsuko's father having no
title, she was adopted by her uncle, Wis
count Morio MatSudaira, so he could act
as her father at the wedding. Tsuneo
MatSudalra renowned his right of sue
cesSlon IN favor OF his younger brother
or he might have been Viscount Mat
suda1ra. The Matsudaira family is one
of the Oldest of feudal Japan, the direct
ancestor being the Shotgun Hidetada,
second of the Tokugawa Shoguns who
ruled Japan from 1900 to the restora-
ton OF the Emperor in 1858.
Grandfather Made Viscount.
One Of the descendants of this Sho-
gun became daimyo or earl of the
Alzu clan, one of the most powerful
In Northern Japan. When the feudal
system was replaced in 1884 by the
modern peerage, the grandfather of
MISS Matsudaira was daimyo of that
clan and was given the viscountcv.
The foster father of todayS bride. is
the second to hold that title.
Prince Chichibu is the second inn
perlai son to be married under the i'm
perlai marriage law promulgated in
1911. His brother, the present En-
peror, Hirohito, was the first, when, as
crown prince, he married Princess
Nagako in January, 1924.
Weoolngs OF members of Japan's i'm
periai family are unlike any other royal
weddings IN the world They invoke the
sanction of no religious sect save that
OF which they are the central figures
the ancient ancestor worship of japan
Thus it becomes an intensely family
aHalr, since the deities who are asked
10 approve the union are their own
ancestors, the 1913 emperors who have
preceded Hirohito on the throne, and
cnle1 OF all, the divine ancestress. the
sun goddess, AmateraSu-O-M i-Ksmi.
Inc rites which surround the wedding
are OF such antiquity that not even the
most learned antiquaries of the court
can speak confidently of their origin
Ihe costumes are those handed down
from the court ceremonies of more
than thousand years ago.
The new Princess Chichibu will pre-
side over an establishment that has
hardly trace of either japanese archi-
lecture or furnishings. 1t is a mansion
completed less than a year ago and is
approached by short driveway off
one OF Tokio'S main avenues. There is
porte cochere which might belong to
any American estate. The building is
OF stone and stucco. high rooted and re-
sembling an English country place. In.
side are hardwood floors, Chinese rugs
and modern furniture The plumbing
IS thoroughly up to date. The ONLY
Japanese style in the place is found in
the mat floors OF the servants quarters
Lantern Parade Held.
The wedding day was brought to a cli-
max tonight by a lantern procession
which gave the Toxic populace an op-
portunity to express congratulations to
the newly welded pair.
1t was estimated that 10000 persons
took part in the procession and that
scores OF thousands of others looked
on as the lantern bearers wound their
way through 4 miles of the municipal
streets of the capital.
The marchers massed in front of the
new mansion of Prince Chichibu and
roared "banZais' for him and his bride
Then they proceeded the short distance
to the imperial palace, where the shouts
were repeated in honor of the reigning
family.
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