Today's Celebration Parade “Celebration Ceremony” November 10, 4:04

A parade that the Emperor, along with the Empress, will be able to perform a thriving public and receive a blessing will be held in the city center of Tokyo in the afternoon of the 10th.

The “Celebration Ceremony” is one of the “Imperial Thanksgiving” rituals, which is a national act as stipulated by the Constitution.

Last month, the emperor's majesty was scheduled to follow the “Imperial Reform Hall” that was declared in and out, but it was postponed due to the devastating damage caused by Typhoon # 19.

On the 10th, at 3 pm, the Emperor and Empress will leave the Imperial Palace and Palace with a newly raised open car for the day.

Then, while receiving the blessings of the people along the road, we will pass through a route of about 4.6 km in the center of Tokyo and arrive at the Akasaka Imperial Palace at around 3:30 pm.

Along with Akishinomiya and his wife, Prime Minister Abe's car, there will be a total of 46 cars, including white cars and side cars.

In the Imperial Palace and Akasaka Imperial Palace, a march song “Ryowa” composed in celebration of the Emperor ’s throne was performed, and in the 10 roadsides, music teams such as the Self-Defense Forces, the police and the fire department, Like the time, we will play “New celebration march”.

On the 10th “Celebration Ceremony”, all of the 5 rituals will be completed in May.

What is the celebration process

In the parade, the Emperor can wear enbi and wear the highest order medal, such as the “Great Order of Chrysanthemum Necklace”.

The empress wears a high-class long dress called robe decollete and can wear the tiara and medal inherited from the empress.

The last time was held in 1990 with the throne of the Emperor, and approximately 117,000 people were packed along the roadside. This time, with the exception of some parts, the same route will be used.

Cars such as Mr. and Mrs. Akishino and Prime Minister Abe will also be added to the train line.

Both the Majesty's open cars are fitted with chrysanthemum crest plates and emperor flags, and along the roads, the SDF and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department perform celebratory music and excite the parade.

On the other hand, in the case of rainy weather, both Majesty's men will face the parade with cars used for important Imperial events, not open cars.

A series of rituals of "Imperial Thanks"

“Imperial Thanksgiving” is a national act that five ceremonies stipulate in the constitution.

In the ceremonial ceremonial ceremonies, the ceremonial ceremonial ceremonial ceremonies, the ceremonial ceremonial ceremonial ceremonies, the celebration ceremonial ceremonies, and the ceremonial ceremonial ceremonies, Except for the 10th anniversary celebration, it was already done.

The five ceremonies are called “Immediate Thanksgiving” and the act of national affairs is a substitute for Heisei, and this time the concept and contents are followed.

On May 1st, when the Emperor took the throne, the “sword inheritance ritual” was held, and the Emperor inherited the swords and songs from the three kinds of sacred treasures passed down to the Emperor. It was.

The Emperor then went with the Empress to attend the “Asami no Giri” ceremony and stated the first words after the throne in front of the representatives of the people, such as the head of the three powers.

On the 22nd of last month, the ceremonial ceremony for the throne was held at the center of a series of ceremonies, and the Emperor told the words to declare the throne in front of representatives from various fields and foreign heads. It was.

From this date to the 31st of last month, the “Feast” was held four times.

Then, from 3 o'clock on the 10th, the celebration parade will be held, and all the ceremonies will be completed.

This series of rituals follows the Heisei alternative as a general rule, but the dates are different.

The last time it was replaced by Emperor Showa's collapse, and a one-year mourning period was established. It was.

This time, all five ceremonies of “Imperial Thanksgiving” will be held in the same year that the throne succeeded.

Route for "Celebration Procession"

The congratulatory ceremonies start at the south side of the Imperial Palace and Palace, pass through the Nijubashi and Sakuradamon intersections, and turn right in front of the main gate of the National Diet Building.

Last time, we went straight to the Miyakezaka intersection, but this time we turn left in front of the Constitution Memorial Hall, and enter Aoyama Street through the Hirakawacho intersection.

As a result, the distance of the entire parade will be about 100 meters shorter than the previous one, but the route avoiding the vicinity of the highway overpass as much as possible from the visibility and security of the parade.

After that, the parade arrives at the Akasaka Imperial Palace where the Emperor's family lives, at the intersection of Aoyama 1-chome and Gondabara.

Cars used in the celebration process

The Emperor and Empress will be boarding a newly procured open car at the celebration celebration.

This open car was a special modification of Toyota's “Century” and removed the roof. The government allocated a budget of 80 million yen and procured for the ceremony.

The body is 5 meters 34 centimeters long and 1 centimeter wide 93 centimeters, slightly larger than the Rolls Royce used in the previous parade for the imperial throne.

The rear seat is about 4 cm higher than the front seat, and the backrest is tilted back by 25 degrees so that you can see the underarms from the roadside.

The car body is painted over and over again to make it more glossy than the commercial ones, and the floor is reinforced to keep strength even without a roof.

In addition, the system is equipped with a collision avoidance and automatic braking system, and the rear seat is also equipped with a side airbag.

Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. is also making cars that are used in daily public affairs, etc., and made modifications using the know-how accumulated so far.

Open cars will be transported to the Imperial Palace in late September and will be trained by drivers, and will run on public roads outside the Imperial Palace for the first time on the 10th.

Once the parade is over, it will be opened to the public at the guesthouse in Tokyo and Minato-ku and the Kyoto guesthouse in Kyoto, and will be managed by the Cabinet Office and used for national events.

Open car drivers

Makoto Nakamura (52), who is a staff member of the Imperial Household Agency's Horse Division, serves as an exclusive driver for both Majesty's men.

Mr. Nakamura is a veteran driver who has a title of “Garant Car Pilot” and has been in charge of driving the cars of his Majesty and the Emperor and his wife for over 5 years.

The parade train is

The congratulatory ceremonies consist of 46 cars including 20 cars and 8 side cars, in addition to 18 cars including the emperor emperor.

At the top is the Metropolitan Police Department's white bike, followed by the chief's car, followed by the prime minister's car, followed by the head of the Imperial Household Agency.

The open car under both sides is located slightly in front of the center of the train, and is surrounded by five white bikes and three side cars.

The emperor will be seated on the right side and the empress on the left side.

Next, the car of Akishinomiya and his wife run, followed by a car carrying a senior officer from the Imperial Household Agency and the Deputy Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat.

Compared to the previous parade that celebrated the imperial throne, there were two more Assistant Secretary's cars.

The length of the train is about 400 meters, and it travels slowly at a speed of about 10 kilometers per hour.

Celebrate mood with performance

In the “Celebration Gorgeous Ceremony” route, in addition to honoring the Emperor and Empress, a march by a music band is also performed to enhance the celebration mood.

Among these, at the Imperial Palace / Palace and Akasaka Gosho, when the arrival and departure of both Majesty's cars, a marching song “Rewa” composed to celebrate the imperial throne was performed by the Imperial Household Club and the Imperial Police Department music band Will be.

This song was composed by Yukio Kitahara, the conductor of the Imperial Household Club.

In the Imperial Palace, the guards of the Imperial Palace police lined up wearing ceremonial clothing show respect to their Majesty by saluting by raising their hands, and in front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace and the Akasaka Imperial Palace, the Self-Defense Forces rituals struck their guns. A salute called “Sword Dedicated Gun” will be given before the sword.

In addition, near the main gate of Akasaka Imperial Palace, approximately 330 Self-Defense Force members, etc. are lined up in two rows over 150 meters, and are to salute by raising their hands to their Majesty.

On the other hand, along the parade, the “New Celebration March” created to celebrate the marriage of his Majesty in 1993 is played along with the passage of the train.

Musicians such as the Self-Defense Forces, the police, and the fire department will enhance the mood of the celebration with gorgeous performances at 10 locations, including the Nihombashi-mae intersection, the main gate of the Diet, and the Aoyama 1-chome intersection.

Future plans for your Majesty

The Emperor and Empress spend their busy days in daily public affairs as well as a series of ceremonies associated with the succession of the throne, after the ceremony of “Imperial Thanksgiving” is over.

The Emperor will be attending the main ceremonies of the “Daijosai” from the 14th of this month to the next day, and the empress will also be worshiped.

In the ceremonies, the Emperor offers freshly harvested rice to Amaterasu and all the gods and eats them, and prays for national and national well-being and good harvest.

Next, on the 16th and 18th, participants of the “Grand Palace” were invited to the Imperial Palace and the palace, and together with the Empress, they attended a feast called the “Daiki” ceremony.

Later, from late this month to the beginning of next month, both Majesty visited Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture, Emperor Jinmu in Nara Prefecture, and the imperial mausoleum of the fourth generation before the Emperor Showa. You will be told that the “Okuma Festival” is over.

On the 4th of next month, the same ceremony will be held at the three palaces in the Imperial Palace, and all the rituals associated with the throne will be completed.

On the other hand, both Majesty will also be faced with various public affairs.

The Emperor will meet on the 25th of this month with Pope Francis, who will come to Japan.

On the 9th of next month, the Empress will be celebrating his 56th birthday and a celebration is scheduled.

The New Year's Day, the New Year's Day, will be celebrated by the Majesty's New Year celebrations at the Imperial Palace and Palace, and on the following two days, the New Year will be celebrated with those who visited the Imperial Palace at General Saga. .

In the same January, the Emperor's Majesty will hold a “New Song” event.

And on February 23, the Emperor will celebrate his first birthday after the throne.

It will be the first press conference for the Emperor on his birthday.

His Majesty will be on April 19th for the “Rikuko no Uta” that will make it clear to the public that Akishino-miya has become the “Emperor”, who is ranked first in the throne. .

The same spring, there are also plans to Xi Jinping Jintao of China to visit Japan as a state guest, Their Majesties are expected to be faced in the event to welcome the 習主 seat.

Furthermore, at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics to be held in the summer, His Majesty the Emperor will attend each opening ceremony and be declared open.

Keep your heart on the affected areas

The Emperor and Empress continue to focus on those affected by the disaster.

In 1995, when the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, where 6,434 people were sacrificed, both Majesty returned home with a schedule of foreign visits, and the disaster area was hit for two consecutive months.

At the shelter, she spoke to the victims on the knees, just like the Emperor and his wife.

The following year, in 1996, he attended a memorial ceremony that was held one year after the earthquake, and the Emperor said, “I hope to build a true peaceful life in this disaster as soon as possible. I ca n’t stop wishing. ”

In this year, Nagasaki Prefecture also visited and memorialized victims of the eruption disaster at Unzen Fugendake, where 43 people were sacrificed five years ago, and encouraged the bereaved families and victims.

In the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, an unprecedented disaster, both Majesty visited the Tohoku 3 prefectures one after another after visiting the evacuation shelters in Tokyo the month after the earthquake. I was encouraged.

The empress, who had been receiving medical treatment, continued to visit with a strong desire to encourage the victims.

The Emperor said at a press conference in 2016, five years after the earthquake, “Health and well-being of the victims living in a harsh environment with Masako thinking about the sorrow and hardship of each victim. I would like to keep my heart on the reconstruction of the disaster-stricken area for a long time. "

In recent years, areas affected by heavy rain disasters have been hit.

Last September, both Majesty visited a temporary house in Asakura City, Fukuoka Prefecture, which was severely damaged by the heavy rain in northern Kyushu the previous year.

They crouched down to snuggle up to the elderly in a wheelchair who was living in an evacuated life and were told words such as “Take care of your body” or “Let's live longer.”

In September, when the opening ceremony of the National Athletic Meet was held in Ibaraki Prefecture, the Emperor said that the heavy rains and typhoon No. 15 at the end of August, I am deeply struck by what happened, and I am looking forward to the hard work of the people affected by the disaster. I sincerely hope that the restoration will proceed as soon as possible. "

Last month, when the damage caused by the heavy rain of Typhoon 19 was revealed, both Majesty expressed mourning for the victims and feelings for the bereaved families and victims.

After the heavy rain disasters continued, both Majesty expressed their feelings about the victims every week through the Imperial Household Agency, and at the “National Festival” on the 9th, which celebrated the imperial throne, I sincerely hope that a safe life will come back as soon as possible, "he said.