- Joined
- Jan 29, 2005
- Messages
- 78,290
- Country
- Germany
Here are some additional gettyimages photos of the couple's walk.
Today, April 8, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the Japan Prize Award ceremony in Tokyo:
** ap gallery **
[...] The Emperor planted two types of rice seeds from last year's harvest in chilly weather on Thursday.
He squatted and carefully placed the seeds in 30-by-30-centimeter plots of land.
[...]
In mid-May or later, the new Emperor is to continue the tradition by planting the resulting seedlings in rice fields on the palace grounds. [...]
Emperor, Empress visit nature park for kids - News - NHK WORLD - EnglishKODOMONOKUNI was founded in commemoration of the Royal Marriage of Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko in 1959 [...] It was officially opened on May 5th, a national holiday of the Children's Day, in 1965. [...]
[...]
The park was built partly with money sent from all over the country to celebrate the couple's wedding on April 10 in 1959.
The Emperor and the Empress celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. They had expressed their wish to visit the park to celebrate the occasion.
They toured the park on a bus shaped like a locomotive. There were more than 3,000 visitors around, and the couple repeatedly stood up, waved and smiled to visitors.
Later, the Emperor and Empress talked with local nursery children and volunteers who help in the park's management.
[...]
Nihombashi Takashimaya hosts special exhibition on 30-yr history of Imperial Couple - The Mainichi[...] Approximately 100 items and about 200 photos taken by the Mainichi Shimbun and the Imperial Household Agency are on display. Among them is special attire called "Korozen no goho" that the Emperor wore in a ceremony related to his accession to the Imperial Throne.
The Imperial Couple saw a photograph of them taken in August 1978, when they participated in an event in Shizuoka Prefecture as then Crown Prince and Princess with their sons and daughter. While viewing the photo the Emperor said, "Every family member is seen in this picture." The Empress added, "We often used to go out together," and they reminisced about old times. [...]
Emperor to pay last homage at Shinto site before abdication: The Asahi Shimbun[...] The imperial sword and jewel, two of the family's three sacred treasures that play a key role in the succession, are accompanying the emperor on the visit. The other treasure, a mirror, is always kept at a shrine in the sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
The two treasures are taken outside only for visits to the Ise Shrine, one of the most important Shinto shrines. The last time the couple went there with the treasures was 2014.
[...]
Among the regalia, called "Sanshu no Jingi," the sword and the mirror are currently replicas made for the emperor to keep in his possession. The original items are kept at Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya and Ise Shrine, respectively.
[...]
Emperor, Empress visit Ise Shrine - News - NHK WORLD - English[...] The emperor, clad in a morning dress, and the empress, wearing a long dress, offered prayers at the shrine during the "Shinetsu no Gi" ritual, one of a series of rituals held for the imperial succession.
For the occasion, the emperor has brought with him the imperial sword and jewel, two of the family's three sacred treasures that play a key role in the succession. The last treasure, a mirror, is kept at the shrine.
[...]
[...]The motorcade arrived at the Outer Shrine, which is dedicated to a goddess of harvests and well-being, shortly before 10:30 a.m.
[...]
Imperial Household officials say the Emperor offered a sprig from the sacred "sakaki" tree at the main hall. They say the Empress also worshipped at the Outer Shrine.
Later on Thursday, the Emperor and Empress are scheduled to worship at the Inner Shrine where Amaterasu-omikami, the sun goddess, is enshrined.
Emperor performs last duty outside palace ahead of abdication - The MainichiEmperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have attended an awards ceremony for an environmental prize. It was their last official engagement outside the Imperial Palace before the Emperor's abdication on April 30.
[...]
The annual MIDORI Academic Prize is awarded ahead of Greenery Day on May 4. The prize decorates people for their studies in the fields of botany and environmental conservation.
[...]
The Emperor and Empress talked with the prize-winners at a reception after the ceremony.