Letters between former United States
President Abraham Lincoln and Thai King Mongkut are on display
in a new exhibit at the Queen Sirikit Textile Museum on the grounds
of the Grand Palace thanks to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. The
embassy is showcasing 200 years of friendship between the two
countries by putting historic gifts between their heads of state on
display. In one letter from 1861, King…
Japanese government does not plan to have female members of Imperial Family attend key enthronement ceremony
20th March 2018
The Japanese government does not have any
plans to have female members of the Japanese Imperial Family at
a key enthronement ceremony, Kenji to Shokei no Gi,
according to sources at the Japan Times. This is one of
several ceremonies that will mark the ascension of Crown…
New era in Japan to be announced in February 2019
7th March 2018
Government services in Japan have said
that the name of the new imperial era in the country will be
announced in February 2019. The current era is the Heisei. The
announcement will come after a celebration ceremony for Emperor
Akihito’s abdication. The celebration is…
Emperor Akihito’s April 2019 abdication ceremony to be state occasion
22nd February 2018
The abdication ceremony of Emperor
Akihito in April 2019 will be a state occasion. The Japanese
government made the announcement on Tuesday, 20 February. Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga headed the panel which decided to
also have a ceremony at the National Theater in Tokyo that
celebrates 30 years of His Imperial Majesty’s reign on 24 February
2019, reported the Japan Times. This will…
The wedding of Princess Makoof Akishino –
the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko –
and her fiance, Kei Komuro, has been postponed until 2020 due to
“lack of preparation.” The couple’s wedding date had been set
for…
Basic plan for Japanese Imperial succession to be compiled by March
12th January 2018
A basic plan for Emperor Akihito’s
abdication is to be compiled by March. The plan will have
information on the ceremonies due to take place before his
abdication as well as ceremonies related to the accession of Crown
Prince Naruhito. Yoshihide Suga, the Chief Cabinet…
Japanese Imperial Family reveals new photos
4th January 2018
The Japanese Imperial Family has released
three new photos to mark the new year. The images show the senior
members of the family: Emperor Akihito and his wife Empress
Michiko, Crown Prince Naruhito, his wife Crown Princess Masako and
their daughter Aiko, Princess Toshi, the Emperor’s second
son Fumihito, Prince Akishino, his wife Kiko, Princess
Akishino and their children Princess Mako…
Emperor Akihito greeted by tens of thousands at Imperial Palace
3rd January 2018
The Emperor of Japan, Akihito, was
greeted by tens of thousands outside the Imperial Palace who had
gathered to hear his New Year’s speech. The New Year’s speech is
one of two events in which the Imperial Palace is open to the
public. The other day is on the…
Poetry and monarchy very often go hand in
hand. Whether it is King Edward III offering patronage to Geoffrey
Chaucer, or King David of Israel being said to have written a
number of Psalms found in the Bible, there is a strong mutual
history between the two. Japanese…
Emperor Akihito not to perform Ritual Ceremonies of the Imperial Palace after abdication
31st December 2017
The Imperial Household Agency in Japan
has announced that Emperor Akihito will not perform the Ritual
Ceremonies of the Imperial Palace after his abdication 30 April
2019 at the age of 85. These ceremonies are held at the three
different Imperial Palace Sanctuaries in Japan. The
ritual ceremonies, of which approximately 20 are performed per
year, are “religious rites to pray for the peace…

