JAPAN: Baptism

Twang! Twang! Twang! An unearthly noise resounded through the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Two aged courtiers twanged a bowstring by bending a bow almost double and letting it go suddenly— they were frightening evil spirits away.

Upon a litter lay Empress Nagako. Erect and stern, Emperor Hirohito surveyed the scene before him. To one side court bards chanted a portion of the classics in a low tone. The great of the Empire surrounded the Imperial group. In it was Premier Güchi Tanaka, clad immaculately in Occidental formal attire. Hands placed together, he prayed, standing, eyes wide open, before a flag-adorned shrine.

The centre of this solemn group was a pinkish-brown princess, recently born to their Imperial Majesties of Japan (TIME, Sept. 19). Her only sister, Princess Shigeko Teru-No-Miya, 21 months, steadied and restrained by a nurse’s hand, gazed wonderingly on as the newest Imperial baby, yelping, was put into a ceremonial bath.

Then the Emperor announced to the assembled dignitaries of the land that the name of his last offspring is Sachiko Hisa-No-Miya.*

Thus terminated the Japanese Imperial baptism, known as the Seventh Day Ceremonies. Forth with rode out of the palace precincts aged priests to report the name of Princess Hisa, as she will be known, to the Imperial Ancestors.

Solemn prayers to the Ancestral Spirits brought the ceremony to a close.

*The ideographs representing the words sachiko and hisa mean “heavenly” and “long-enduring,” and may be translated as Steadfast Helper, Eternal Happiness or Ever Benign. No-Miya denotes Imperial rank, such as Royal or Imperial Highness in the Occident.