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Jump to navigationJump to searchPromulgation of the Meiji Constitution (view source)
Revision as of 19:59, 24 March 2015
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Following the private Imperial rites conducted deep within the Palace, and the Throne Room ceremony restricted to nobles, officials, and reporters, a third stage of the day's events brought the Emperor and the celebration out into the city, where it was visible and accessible to the broader public. A stately procession emerged from the palace's Main Gate (''seimon''), crossing over Nijûbashi and through the main palace plaza, and made its way through some of the city's newly-built grand thoroughfares, to arrive at the Aoyama Military Parade Field as its final destination. They were met, or witnessed, by five thousand schoolchildren and university students, chosen and arranged by the [[Ministry of Education]] in the palace plaza and along the sides of the streets. In accordance with specific instructions given to them for their participation in welcoming the parade, university students shouted "Banzai!" while students from the Upper Girls' School sang a ''kigensetsu'' song, and elementary school students chanted ''[[Kimi ga yo]]''.
Following the private Imperial rites conducted deep within the Palace, and the Throne Room ceremony restricted to nobles, officials, and reporters, a third stage of the day's events brought the Emperor and the celebration out into the city, where it was visible and accessible to the broader public. A stately procession emerged from the palace's Main Gate (''seimon''), crossing over Nijûbashi and through the main palace plaza, and made its way through some of the city's newly-built grand thoroughfares, to arrive at the Aoyama Military Parade Field as its final destination. They were met, or witnessed, by five thousand schoolchildren and university students, chosen and arranged by the [[Ministry of Education]] in the palace plaza and along the sides of the streets. In accordance with specific instructions given to them for their participation in welcoming the parade, university students shouted "Banzai!" while students from the Upper Girls' School sang a ''kigensetsu'' song, and elementary school students chanted ''[[Kimi ga yo]]''.
The Imperial "stage ceremonial cortege" (''kokugishiki robo'') was arranged with the Emperor at the center, preceded by members of the Imperial family and officials of the [[Imperial Household Ministry]]; the emperor was followed by the top ministers of state, in a manner which represented the division of Constitutional Government and Imperial Household, and a pattern of diminishing power as one was placed farther from the Emperor.
The Imperial "stage ceremonial cortege" (''kokugishiki robo'') was arranged with the Emperor at the center, preceded by members of the Imperial family and officials of the [[Imperial Household Ministry]]; the emperor was followed by the top ministers of state, in a manner which represented the legal division of Constitutional Government and Imperial Household,<ref>The Imperial family was not subject to the Constitution, but rather to the [[Imperial House Law]].</ref> and a pattern of diminishing power as one was placed farther from the Emperor. The Emperor and Empress were visible within an English-style horse-drawn carriage, decorated with [[chrysanthemum]] crests, and topped by a golden phoenix ornament like that which would have topped the Imperial palanquin in earlier times.
The procession took about two hours to get from the palace to the Aoyama Military Parade Field, where it was met by second- and third-ranking officials (''chokunin'' and ''sônin'', respectively), prefectural assembly chairmen, foreign diplomats, and other invited dignitaries, all of whom sat under tents, on grandstands erected on the northern end of the field. Eleven thousand soldiers and sailors of the [[Imperial Japanese Army]] and [[Imperial Japanese Navy|Navy]] were also gathered on the field, and were formally reviewed or inspected by the Emperor, who rode up and down their ranks on horseback. Following a ceremonial march by these soldiers and sailors, led by the Imperial Guard and Tokyo Garrison, the cortege returned to the palace for a formal banquet.
On the following day, February 12, 1889, the Imperial cortege made its way through the city once again, in response to a request by the governor of Tokyo, who expressed the great popular demand for such a procession. The cortege took a different route this time, however, departing the palace via the Sakuradamon as the previous day, but then turning to cross [[Shinbashi]], parading to [[Ueno Park]] past numerous signs, lanterns, banners, national flags, and ceremonial arches erected by corporations and popular organizations. Popular celebrations of various sorts, including parade floats and massive decorative arches featuring nationalist slogans and lit by electric lights, continued for some time, while the Emperor returned to the palace.
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==References==
==References==
*Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', University of California Press (1996), 107-.
*Takashi Fujitani, ''Splendid Monarchy'', University of California Press (1996), 107-111.
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[[Category:Meiji Period]]
[[Category:Meiji Period]]
[[Category:Events and Incidents]]
[[Category:Events and Incidents]]
