The Japanese Emperor.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4978, 10 April 1889, Page 2

The Japanese Emperor.

The Emperor of Japan is rich. He is allowed £1,003,000 a year for his household department, and his private fortune is largo and increasing. He thoroughly understands business matters, and keeps himself well informed as to his investments. Some of these are in the public lands and roads, and they are, of course, managed by officials appointed by him. The household department has to do with all matters relating to the imperial palace and to the Mikado. It prescribes the ceremonies, and attends to matters connected with the lifeof thoEmneror and Empress. It has a board of chamberlains, a board of ceremonies, a department which takes care of the Emperor’s horses, and one which has charge of the imperial sepulchres. It contains a bureau of nine imperial physicians. Prince Iwakura is grand master of the imperial kitchen and cooking. His Majesty is a very studious man. He rises early, and breakfasts at seven or eight o’clock. He uses the knife and fork in eating when he takes foreign food, and he adopts the chopsticks at his Japanese dinners. He eats at a table, and sits upon chairs. He varies his meals, sometimes taking foreign food and sometimes Japanese. He is fond of meats, and has a well-trained Japanese cook to serve them for him. Ife is not customary for him to eat with the Empress, and he usually cats alone. After breakfast is over he goes to his study, and at nine o’clock he receives such Ministers of State as have matters to report to him. His audiences with them often lasts until twelve o’clock. He then returns to his own room and takes his lunch. This usually consists of fish, meats, bread, and wines. He is a good eater, and likes good wine. After lunch, the Emperor spends some time in reading the newspapers and books. All the leading Japanese newspapers come to the palace, and he watches closely the current of public opinion. Many of the foreign papers are marked, and in the case of the foreign papers of Japan, the more prominent articles are translated for him. Articles in the New York, London, and Paris papers which have a bearing upon Japan are also translated and handed to him to read, and ho is especially fond of the illustrated foreign papers. After reading he takes his exercise, and dinner comes in the evening. Sometimes the Empress dines with bin, and at times the little prince, who is the heir to the throne, has a seat at the table. Both have, however, their separate establishments. The dinner is served in table d’hote style, and with all the European accompaniments. His Majesty is especially fond of horseback riding. Ho has about three hundred horses in the imperial mews, and he sits a horse well. He has a big race track in the grounds of the new palace, and he is much interested in horse-breeding as well us in horse-racing. Ho attends the races in Tokio and in Yokohama, and is fond of watching his nobles play polo. This game is often played inside the palace grounds, and the Emperor hunts deer and wild pigs on his preserves. He shoots well, but as a rule he prefers to watch the others hunt; Another favourite pursuit of the Emperor is ducknetting, and there will be opportunities for this sport in the new palace grounds. As in other sports, he prefers to look on, though he sometimes throws a net himself.