AS IN OLD JAPAN

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1927, Page 9

AS IN OLD JAPAN

EMPEROR'S FUNERAL

SHINTO CEREMONIAL

TOKIO LIT BY LANTERNS

(United Press Association.—Copyright)' (Bcceived Bth February, noon.) % TOKIO, 7th February.

Centuries old, the conventional Oriental funeral ceremonial of the passing of the Emperor of Japan commenced tonight, ivhen the cortege, three milet long, crossed the double bridge traversing the moat at -the entrance of the Imperial Palace in the centre' of Tokio, where Yoshihito, the 143 rd Emperor- of Japan, had lain in state since Christmas Day. Wood burning in flares in huge iron baskets, alternating with Shinto lanterns enclosing powerful arc lights, illuminated the avenue of Sasaki troci twenty feet high;--lining' the main approach. Among t,he low pine trees of the outer palace park was a mass of Mikado's subjects, bare-headed, silent, bowing low, prostrating themselves even, s when the catafalque, drawn by six "bulls, slowly passed i with its Imperial burden. Minute guns boomed a farewell salute. Plaintive pipes blended with soft ( funeral, drums along broke the silence. Sarid a foot deep muffled all other sound. Thus the procession of eight thousand passed through the winding streets of the capital to Shin,iuku Park, where a great ceremonial hall had been erected for the Shinto ritual prior to interment. It is estimated that a minimum of a million people paid their last tribute along the route. Prince Chichibu (representing the Emperor), with his young brothers and the Princes of the blood, followed- tho catafalque, which was placed nearly in the centre of the cortege. The Emperor and. Empress reached Shinjuku by another route.

The 7th and Bth February were na-tional-holidays. Brilliant sunshine on. Monday morning quickly dissipated the last vestige of snow. People, pouring in, commenced to take up their positions soon after dawn, bringing their own. mats and food. Before noon- the best locations were occupied along the. entire route. All traffic was stopped at 3 o'clock,' except private motors. An army of workmen spread sand over the roadways, while 20,000 troops took up positions.

Leaving the Palace, for an hour and a half a strange procession, allegorical and symbolical,.passed'until it reached the great funeral hall,where ten thousand of the nation's highest personages awaited the coming for three hours in subdued lights, with silent movement, and speech in lowest tones. The ritualists performed their rites at 10 o'clock at night. The Emperor Hirohito stood before the coffin and addressed a farewell to his father, while the congregation *stood. The Emperor and Empress, the Imperial Family, the peers, the Premier, ,and Ministers were seated in: front, and the Diplomatic Corps immediately behind. r '

The ceremony lasted two and .a half hours. Exactly at 11 o'clock the entire nation stopped movement by; trains. Machinery . halted at 11.25.' The bearers took the burden to.a temporary station nearby. The entrainment occupied three-quarters of an. hour. . The-funeral train then left the station. Along"the entire, railway lino for twenty miles, thousands of country, residents gathered to pay their last homage. The Emperor does not accompany the body to the Asakawa Mausoleum, Prince Chichibu representing him. The ceremony at the Mausoleum commences in the morning. Tokio broadcasted the funeral music. Even the shuffling of the feet of the marcher* in the sand could be heard. •