HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AKIHITO!
Japan’s Emperor celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday today.
Every Japanese I asked said they would not give one thought to their monarch on this national holiday – more than a few didn’t even know they had the day off in his honor! So does that mean the Japanese public is in favor of turning the Royal Palace into a theme park? No way! In fact, unlike the irreverent Brits, there is virtually no republican movement here demanding the royals be thrown out.
My take on this typically Japanese contradiction was “wallpaper”.
Consider this conversation with Taro.
“So, Taro, you mean to say you never give a second thought to the emperor, and yet you like having an emperor?”
“Yes, of course.”
“So, he’s kind of like wallpaper, isn’t he?
“What the heck are you talking about?”
“Did you spend much to wallpaper your home?”
“Yes, quite a bit.”
“Do you sit around gazing at the subtle prints of textured Japanese fans?”
“No, except maybe on the morning after a year-end party.”
“Would you ever consider stripping the walls of their extravagant covering?”
“Never. I can’t imagine life without it.”
“Well, it sure sounds to me like your feelings for the emperor are about the same as your feelings about the wallpaper in your house.”
Conversations like this give me reason to believe that as long as Japanese homes have wallpaper, Japan will have an emperor.
I myself am quite a royal fan – since his birthday makes December 23rd, our wedding anniversary, a national holiday.
Long live the Emperor!
Speaking of the Emperor, I believe Hirohito, Showa Tenno, was the most charming Emperor. For one thing, he often wore his favorite watch – a Mickey Mouse watch.
I think the current Emperor is the luckiest person because he has Lady Michiko.
Do you know about the watermelons made in the form of a dice? To make them convenient for packing and sending, they raised watermelons in square boxes. Showa Tenno seemed to me really like a dice-watermelon.
Princess Michiko opened the palace windows and let in fresh air, but her great hardship is well known. Thanks to her grace, the current Emperor seems to have regained the shape of a natural watermelon. I’m afraid the next generation may be a yellow melon.
Emperor Hirohito accepted and undertook the role of anchor of the country, and with it he took on great pressures. I shudder at the thought of what things might be like if we didn’t have the Emperor. Without the anchor, the Japanese people and the country would have been left to float around aimlessly.
Have you ever read the 1947 Constitution of Japan
that sets the role of the Emperor ? I am not really happy about the part that says; “deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power….etc.”.
I have nothing but respect for the Emperor.
– Sumie
For your reference please go to:
The Constitution of Japan (Nihonnkoku Kenpou)
http://www.solon.org/Constitutions/Japan/English/english-Constitution.html#CHAPTER_I
Good-day, Dane-san!
Let me first say, Happy Anniversary!!
I did remember today was the emperor’s birthday, because I had been very thankful to him ever since he became the emperor. Thanks to his birthday we had a longer winter vacation during my school years ;-))
Wish you a warm Christmas in Satori!
Love,
Nozomi
Well, …..
If I had any wallpaper I might ponder it more deeply.
Happy Holidays.
Mark
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