Poetry reading ceremony shows Imperial family’s traditional role for Japan’s culture

Jan. 18, 2010

Poetry reading ceremony shows Imperial family’s traditional role for Japan’s culture


The nationally televised “Utakaihajime” New Year’s poetry reading ceremony at the Imperial Palace is one of the few opportunities that give the people a real-time glimpse of the Emperor and his family through the chrysanthemum curtain. The time-honored event also indicates the Imperial family used to be the biggest patron of Japan’s traditional culture. This year’s ceremony, held on Jan. 14, was broadcast live from the Imperial Palace by NHK, Japan’s public TV channel.
The ceremony is held in the presence of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who compose waka poems under a theme given for each year. (An author's note about waka poems can be found in the blog post published on May 14, 2009) So do other members of the Imperial family and participants selected or invited for the ceremony. Readers intone their poems with traditional rhythm and melody. This year’s theme was “light.” A total of 23,346 poems were submitted by the public. Of this, 172 poems came from 20 foreign countries and territories. Poems submitted by 10 people across Japan were selected and recited at the ceremony.
Emperor Akihito, in his 22nd year on the throne, made his poem describing a scene he saw when he took a stroll with Empress Michiko in a garden in the Imperial Palace grounds early spring last year. The couple celebrated the 50th anniversary of their wedding last year.

Where rays of sunlight
Filter through the trees I see
In the middle of the path
Carpeted with fallen leaves
A clump of green grass growing.
(A translation published by the Imperial Household Agency on its website)

Japan’s Emperor performs a series of official duties stipulated under the Constitution, such as meeting with and holding banquets for state guests and other foreign dignitaries and proclaiming the opening of the parliamentary sessions. On top of the ceremonial tasks, the Emperor has religious and cultural jobs inherited from his ancestors. Japan’s royal family distances itself from politics, but Imperial family members have been active in demonstrating their interest in Japan’s traditional values. The Imperial household archives contain numerous historically important items ranging from ancient documents and books to paintings. This indicates that the Imperial family sponsored various cultural events and artists over the years. Emperor Akihito grows rice at a paddy field in the Imperial Palace grounds, inheriting a custom established by his father, Emperor Hirohito. This is a show of the Imperial family’s moral support for agriculture and farmers in the “Land of Golden Ears of Rice,” as Japan is called so historically. Empress Michiko, assisted by her women, raises silkworms at a facility in the Imperial Palace grounds. Silk produced by them is said to be used for, among other things, gifts for foreign heads of state.
The 10 winners selected from the public were invited to attend the ceremony at the spacious Matsu-no-ma (pine tree) room. Among those persons was a 69-year-old blind housewife from Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. Her poem goes:

My face is felt to be directed toward light.

My son approaches me

and presses the shutter of his camera.
(A personal translation)

After the end of the ceremony, the Emperor and the Empress had a chat with the persons whose poems were selected this year. Kuniko Moriwaki, the blind woman, said, “Her majesty the Empress kindly held my hands after taking off her gloves. I was so happy that my heart trembled,” according to the Mainichi newspaper.
The theme for next year’s poetry reading ceremony is “leaf.” Japanese people are not necessarily unanimous about maintaining the Emperor system as it is now. But at least a series of traditional rites and events inherited by the Imperial family over the centuries is expected to be carried over as part of Japan’s important cultural assets.