Emperor Akihito is a Living God who took a commoner as his wife. President of Japan - Akihito

Everyone knows about the British monarchy, but few know that the oldest of all the ruling dynasties in the world today is the Japanese dynasty of emperors. The ancestor of Emperor Akihito, who rules today, is believed to have come to power in 660 BC. It is believed that he was a direct relative of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the supreme goddess of the pantheon of Shinto deities. Our review contains a story about Emperor Akihito, who, by the way, recently announced his desire to retire.

Although Japan is a liberal democracy, it is also the oldest continuous monarchy in the world. According to the official (if somewhat legendary) genealogy, the Akihito family has ruled for 2,700 years. Although little is known today about the first 25 emperors (starting in 600 BC with Emperor Jimmu, who is said to be descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu), there is strong evidence of an unbroken line of succession extending from 500 AD . until today.

The Japanese monarchy is often called the Chrysanthemum Throne. Although it is primarily a metaphor, it is also a real physical thing. The Takamikura Throne, which is kept in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, is used for coronation ceremonies. IN last time it was used during the coronation ceremony of the current Emperor Akihito in 1990.

The Chrysanthemum Throne is a term commonly used to refer to the throne of the Emperor of Japan. However, the term is also used to refer to the physically existing Takamikura throne at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. However, the various other thrones that are used by the emperor during official functions are never called the "Chrysanthemum Throne".

Japan has a unique calendar system in which the year is determined according to the reign of the emperor. For example, 2016 is shown as Akihito's 28th year on the throne. When his successor ascends the throne, the calendar will begin again from the first year. According to modern Japanese tradition, when emperors die, they receive new names reflecting the era in which they ruled. Akihito's father, Hirohito, who ruled Japan during World War II, became known posthumously as "Showa" ("Enlightened World"). Akihito, who was crowned in 1989, will become Heisei (Establishing Peace) after his death.

Akihito broke tradition by becoming the first Japanese monarch to marry a commoner. Up until the 20th century, emperors usually had a main wife and several concubines (all from noble families). Akihito was the first emperor to renounce such privileges.

He met his future wife Shoda Michiko in 1957 on the tennis court. The Imperial Household Council (a body consisting of the Prime Minister of Japan, the heads of the two houses of the Japanese Diet, the Chief Justice of Japan, and two members of the Imperial Family) officially approved the Crown Prince's infatuation on November 27, 1958.

The media spoke of their acquaintance as a real "fairy tale" and a "romance on the tennis court." For the first time in Japanese history, a commoner married into the imperial family. The engagement took place on January 14, 1959, and the marriage of Akihito and Shodu Michiko took place on April 10, 1959. The imperial couple had three children.

In August 2016, Emperor Akihito addressed the Japanese public for only the second time during his reign (and the third time in the history of the monarchy). The emperor's first public address was broadcast on Japanese television in 2011 after the terrible tragedy that struck Japan.

The Emperor tried to calm the nation after devastating earthquake and the tsunami on the northeastern coast of Japan, which caused a disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. After these terrible events, Emperor Akihito and his wife personally visited the disaster area and met with the evacuated people.

Akihito's address to the nation evoked memories of his father's unprecedented address to the nation in August 1945. Then he announced on the radio the defeat of Japan in World War II. During Hirohito's speech, many Japanese heard the emperor's voice for the first time in their lives.

On September 6, 2006, Emperor Akihito celebrated the birth of his first grandson, Prince Hisahito, his third child youngest son Emperor. Prince Hisahito is the first male heir to be born into the Japanese imperial family in 41 years (the emperor's eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, has only one daughter, Princess Aiko).

Since only men have the right to inherit the throne in Japan, Princess Aiko has no right to the throne. Prince Hisahito is the only male born into the imperial family in Japan since 1965, so Akihito's possible resignation could revive talk of changing the law to include Princess Aiko in the line of succession to the throne.

Everything is special in Japan, even criminals. It is enough to see to be convinced of this.

In Tokyo (Japan).

Direct descendant of Jimmu, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Born into the family of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun, he became their fifth child but first son. At birth he received the name Tsugu no Miya.

Following the tradition of education for members of the Japanese imperial family, from 1940 to 1952 he studied with personal tutors, as well as at a school for members of the imperial family and the highest aristocracy (Gakushuin).

IN recent years During World War II, Akihito was temporarily taken with his fellow students from Tokyo to the Nikko mountains, but after the end of the war he returned to his homeland and continued his studies at school.

As a result of Japan's defeat in the war, the power of the Japanese emperor was significantly limited: mainly ceremonial functions were left to him. New conditions and new limits of imperial power required changes in the nature of the education received by the heir to the throne: the prince learned English language and acquired a wide knowledge of Western culture. The American teacher Elizabeth Gray Vining, a famous author of children's books, helped him in this.

In 1952, the prince entered the department of politics at the Faculty of Politics and Economics at Gakushuin University.

In November 1952, he came of age and was officially declared Crown Prince.

Akihito graduated from the university in March 1956, having received specialized training in a wide range of subjects, including Japanese history and constitutional law.

On April 10, 1959, breaking with 1,500 years of tradition, Akihito entered into a morganatic marriage with Michiko Shoda (born October 20, 1934), the daughter of a wealthy Japanese businessman and a graduate of the Roman Catholic Women's University in Tokyo. The Crown Prince's marriage to a commoner was unanimously approved by the Imperial Household Council, headed by the Prime Minister.

Foreign trips became the calling card of the heir to the Japanese throne: before his enthronement, he visited 37 countries.
In September 1988, due to his father's illness, Akihito assumed a number of responsibilities as emperor.

On January 7, 1989, after the death of Emperor Hirohito, Akihito was proclaimed Emperor of Japan. A new period of national chronology began in the country (corresponding to the period of imperial rule). The era of Akihito's reign began on January 8, 1989, under the motto Heisei, which translated means "peace everywhere," "the establishment of peace."

After the death of the emperor, the name of the era becomes his posthumous name. The previous Emperor Hirohito is supposed to be called “Emperor Showa” in memory of the era of his reign (“enlightenment and harmony”).

The official coronation of Emperor Akihito took place on November 12, 1990, in the presence of representatives of 158 countries and two international organizations.

According to the Japanese constitution, the emperor is not vested with powers related to the exercise of government power. Akihito maintains complete neutrality with regard to current politics, but occasionally (in agreement with the Japanese political leadership) makes statements and takes actions that have a significant impact on Japan’s position in the world and the attitude of other countries towards it.

In Japan, religion and state are formally separated, but the emperor remains. He performs rituals at the palace and at the great Ise Shrine, dedicated to the ancestor of the imperial family, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu no Omikami, where he is believed to communicate with his divine ancestors.

The emperor is known as an ichthyologist and traveler. He is the author of several dozen scientific articles on ichthyology, co-author of two books about the fish of Japan, including the collective work The Fishes of the Japanese Archipelago (1984). He is also an honorary member of the Linnean Society of London (1986), the Zoological Society of London (1992) and Research Institute Natural Sciences of Argentina (Research Institute for Natural Science of Argentina) (1997).

The imperial couple have three children: the current Crown Prince Naruhito (Hiro no Miya), Prince Akishino (Aya no Miya) and Princess Sayako (Nori no Miya). Together with his wife, Akihito changed the way of life in the imperial family. Despite their constant busyness with official events, they raised their children themselves, without placing them in the care of nannies and valets.

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

In Japan, the emperor is called a mikado, he is not just the ruler of the state, he is the Living God, the Symbol of the unification of the nation.

Among the ruling dynasties around the world, the Japanese dynasty of emperors is the oldest of all, dating back more than 800 years. Although, the first mentions of the imperial dynasty indicate even more early dates its origin: the ancestor of the present emperor, Jimmu Tenno, began to rule the country of Yamato in 660 BC. Then it turns out that family tree The Japanese Mikado began to develop over 2670 years ago. It is believed that the first Japanese ruler was a direct relative of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the supreme goddess of the pantheon of Shinto deities.

Japanese Emperor Akihito, who rules the country for at the moment, is the 125th emperor. Before ascending the throne, his name was Prince Tsugunomiya. The prince was born on December 23, 1933 in a family that already had four girls, but since he was still the eldest son, at the age of 19 he became the official crown prince.

His father was Emperor Hirohito (Showa), who remained in power for 63 years, the longest reign ever. His mother is Empress Nagako, the consort of the emperor. This is not an empty remark. The fact is that after the birth of four daughters into the family during 9 years of marriage, pressure was exerted on the married couple from the ruling elite due to the fact that, according to tradition, the crown prince may not be born from the legitimate wife of the Mikado, the main thing is that he the blood on my father's side belonged to the imperial dynasty. There was a proposal to choose a mother for the future prince, to find a “concubine”.

The Crown Prince, as is customary, is taken away from the family at an early age. He must be brought up according to the same canons that have developed over centuries, according to the rules by which previous generations of heirs to the throne were brought up. The prince met with his parents a maximum of 2 times a week while observing the court. There can be no parental education, they simply looked at each other, and then the boy again fell into the hands of tutors.

At the age of seven, the boy went to school, naturally, not a regular one, but a special one - for noble aristocratic circles. But there, too, he was not one of everyone else and could not be equal to the other guys. He did not play with the children and could not play pranks like other children. After all, he is the Living God. He studied at school for the required 12 years (in Japan, education is 12 years old) and graduated in 1952.

During his studies, an important life event occurred in the life of the future emperor; in 1946, he chose the famous American writer Elizabeth Gray Vining as his mentor, who helped him learn English and introduced him to Western literature. She recalls that he was a modest boy who spent most of his time with his fish. By the way, the emperor is still interested in this topic and is the author of 28 scientific works in ichthyology. In 1986 he became an honorary member of the international Linnean Society of London.

E. Vining was a close friend of Emperor Akihito throughout her life, which made him very happy and proud of his choice of her as a mentor. Elizabeth died in 1999 at the age of 97.

Prince Tsugunomiya ascended the throne in 1989, succeeding his deceased father. The motto of Akihito's reign is "Peace and Tranquility." From the moment of accession to the throne, a new chronology began - the Heisei era. After the death of the emperor, he will remain in history under the name Heisei.

During his reign, he made some changes to the traditions of the court. In particular, this applies to marriage. He met his bride on the tennis court. Shoda Michiko's future wife was the daughter of the owner of a flour milling company. And although this was an intelligent family, it was not aristocratic. Contrary to established traditions, the prince still married Shoda, thereby violating the regulations.

Another change was the opportunity to raise children independently, without the participation of tutors. The current emperor has two sons and one daughter.

According to the Japanese Constitution, the emperor is a symbol of the state and the unity of the people. Those. he has nominal, not real, power. He is not a public person and you can’t even just hear his voice very often. But during the tragic earthquake in 2011, the inhabitants of the country heard the voice of the Living God, and this emphasized the importance and tragedy of the moment.

TOKYO, December 23 - RIA Novosti, Ksenia Naka. The most powerful memory in the life of Japan's Emperor Akihito, who celebrates his 80th birthday on Monday, was World War II.
“It pains me endlessly when I think about those young people who had all sorts of dreams and plans for the future, but who died during the war. I am deeply grateful to the people of Japan, who were able to overcome the post-war devastation and rebuild the country. For the post-war 60 years we managed to raise (generations) who, even in such difficult trials as it became<…>earthquake<…>2011, carefully preserve human relations, behave with dignity and make every effort to restore the country. This gives me strength,” the emperor said in front of journalists admitted to the palace in connection with his anniversary.

Emperor Akihito of Japan, who turned 80 on Monday, called his wife Empress Michiko the greatest happiness in his life.

“It is believed that being an emperor is lonely, but thanks to my marriage to Empress Michiko, I have gained a comrade next to me who cares about the same things that are important to me. The Empress treats me with constant respect and her presence next to me gives me rest and tranquility. I am happy that I was able to fulfill my duties until this hour,” the emperor told reporters.

Emperor Akihito became the first crown prince in Japanese history to tie the knot with a girl from ordinary family. The young people met on the tennis court and the future emperor, according to him, was struck by the beauty of Michiko Shoda. 54 years after the wedding, the imperial couple still often play tennis as a couple. The couple had three children, whom they, contrary to previous traditions, raised independently at the insistence of Princess Michiko. Their eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, also married a girl of non-aristocratic origin for love. The imperial couple have four grandchildren, but only one of them - eight-year-old Prince Hisahito - is eligible to inherit the throne in the future.

More than 23 thousand people came to the square in front of the imperial palace to personally congratulate the monarch. Akihito appeared three times before his subjects along with members of his family and gave a short welcoming speech in which he thanked everyone for their congratulations and wished them happiness in the coming new year.

The Emperor's birthday is celebrated in Japan as a public holiday and is a day off. All institutions, schools, ministries and police stations fly national flags.

In the very center of Tokyo, in the middle of a picturesque park, stands a beautiful palace. The most mysterious resident of the country lives here - the Emperor of Japan. Today is December 23, and the Kokeso Palace is surrounded on all sides by a crowd of Japanese. This is one of two days a year when they can enter the magnificent chambers and see their emperor. After all, today is his birthday, the Emperor of Japan is 80 years old.

Emperor of Japan

Akihito is the country's 125th emperor. When the boy was very young, according to existing traditions, he was taken from his mother and raised in accordance with the canons of raising a real crown prince. Japanese traditions limit the future emperor's communication with relatives. Meetings with his parents are allowed only a few times a month - at this moment they look at each other almost silently, and then he is again taken to his room by strict tutors.

Emperor of Japan Akihito

Childhood of the Crown Prince

Studying at school did not help the situation. At the age of 7, the future emperor ended up in a special school for the upper classes. But even here he could not be an ordinary boy and play with the guys. After all, children's pranks are not accessible to the Living God! This is how Akihito spent 12 years of his life - all these years he spent most of the time communicating with his fish. The Emperor has not given up this activity even now and is the author of several dozen scientific works on ichthyology. In 1986 he became an honorary member of the international Linnean Society of London.

Traditions of the Imperial Family

The history of the imperial house of Japan is surrounded by many myths, secrets and prejudices - after all, the dynasty has ruled for more than 1.5 thousand years! The most amazing thing is that during all this time the royal family has no surname. Her position on the imperial throne is so strong and unshakable that no surname is needed at all. Every Japanese emperor is considered a descendant of Amaterasu, the most famous Shinto deity. It is divine origin that guarantees the crown prince the absence of any rivals in the struggle for the throne. Therefore, attempts to overthrow the imperial dynasty have never been made in the history of the country in Japan.

Symbols of the Imperial House

The attributes of the emperor's reign are a mirror, a sword and a jasper seal. In Japan, they are believed to represent power and have real sacred power. Three regalia are passed from father to son when the prince takes office. The imperial coat of arms depicts a sign of longevity - a 16-petalled chrysanthemum. The Japanese have a popular legend that wine infused with its petals prolongs life to eight thousand years.

The Emperor can do anything

Once upon a time the emperor was considered high priest Shinto and had absolute unquestioned power. But in the 12th century, the samurai took away power, leaving the emperor with only symbolic powers. Now, in accordance with the country's constitution, the emperor has no real powers to govern the state and is only a symbol of the country and the unity of the nation. He is deprived of the right not only to be elected, but even to vote or express his opinion on the political situation in Japan. In fact, the emperor is one of the most powerless citizens and is considered the same ordinary symbol of statehood as a coat of arms, flag or anthem.

Monarch Family

Akihito received the throne in 1989. The motto of his reign is “Peace and Tranquility.” Having suffered as a child, he made a number of significant changes to the age-old traditions of the imperial family, for example, he married a girl from an ordinary family and began to independently raise his children - a daughter and two sons.

The Emperor and his wife visit Fukushima

Duties of the Emperor

Akihito pursues an active public policy, engages in charity work, participates in international meetings and goes on visits abroad. However, the Emperor of Japan is not a public person, and his voice can be heard extremely rarely. One of these moments was the tragic earthquake in 2011, during which the monarch addressed the residents of the country. The voice of the emperor with divine origin emphasized the importance of the event and eliminated the panic that had spread among the Japanese.

Imperial chambers

The domain of the royal castle is divided into two parts. In the eastern half, the Eastern Garden of the Imperial Palace is open to everyone. On the western side are the palace, the luxurious Fukiage Garden and the private quarters of Emperor Akihito, his relatives and a huge crowd of courtiers. The Emperor's Palace is a closed area. You can get here only twice a year: on January 2, the imperial family receives congratulations on the New Year, and on December 23, the emperor celebrates his birthday.

Emperor's Birthday

On this day, everything is planned down to the minute. Akihito approaches the bulletproof window with his wife and children and allows his subjects to express their delight. At this moment, the palace is deafened by incessant greetings and shouts against the backdrop of a sea of ​​flags with the coat of arms of Japan. The Emperor pronounces words of gratitude to the people, wishes them prosperity and blesses them happy life. The Japanese, in return, traditionally wish the monarch many years of successful reign in order to strengthen Japan's national pride.

Photo: thinkstockphotos.com, flickr.com

Emperor Akihito of Japan became the first Japanese monarch whose reign began under the country's new constitution in 1947, which recognized him as a symbol of the nation rather than a special one of divine origin. On Monday, he spoke of his concerns that it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to fulfill his role sufficiently, but he avoided directly stating his intention to leave the throne because, according to the country's constitution, he is not supposed to make political statements.

With his accession to the throne in January 1989, the Heisei era began - the era of Peace, which continues to this day. In documents, on forms, on product expiration dates, you can see “H28” or simply the number “28” everywhere, which means the 28th year of his reign, that is, 2016. During his years on the throne, Akihito often committed acts, the story of which begins with the words “first among Japanese emperors.”

Meeting on the tennis court: Michiko

Not the first, but the most famous of such actions was his marriage to a girl who was not exactly from the people (she belonged to one of the richest families in Japan), but also not a person of imperial blood, as had been done for centuries until now. The Crown Prince saw the beautiful Michiko on the tennis court and fell in love. Breaking the tradition of marrying only a person with royal blood flowing in her veins caused a stir among the courtiers, in the imperial family and the Imperial Household Administration.

© REUTERS / Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

The candidacy of the future empress is traditionally approved by the Council of the Imperial Household, which includes representatives of the imperial family, the prime minister, the heads of both chambers and the chairman Supreme Court. Things allegedly got to the point that the obstinate prince - the future Emperor Akihito - threatened not to marry anyone at all, which would mean a serious crisis for the Chrysanthemum Throne - the oldest and most continuous dynasty in the world, which dates back to the legendary Emperor Jimmu - 660 B.C.

© REUTERS / Kim Kyung-Hoon

Michiko, having become the wife of the future emperor, gained popular love thanks to her beauty, romantic marriage history, ability to dress tastefully and behave with dignity within the unusual framework of royal etiquette and strict regulations of the imperial house. In the 1960s, the so-called “Michiko effect” was noted - a fashion for everything that had to do with the young wife of the crown prince: any item of clothing, accessories, hairstyle instantly became trendy during her appearances.

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have three children and four grandchildren: three girls and the only boy, third in line to the throne, Prince Hisahito.

Man and descendant of the goddess

Despite the fact that the first article of the Japanese constitution talks about the status of the emperor as a symbol of the unity of the people, deep down the majority of Japanese, regardless of their beliefs and views on the need for the monarchy as an institution, still remember that the current emperor is the 125th account in the dynasty that goes back to Emperor Jimmu, and he was a descendant (great-great-grandson) of the sun goddess Amaterasu. That is, no one mentions the divine origin of the emperor out loud anymore, but this thesis is preserved behind the scenes by default.

© REUTERS/Issei Kato

Already as a teenager, Akihito “blew up” the rules of imperial life when, in high school, he ran away from security and spent several hours with friends on the Ginza shopping street, walking, looking at shop windows, and going into cafes. This event was so egregious and did not fit into the life of the “correct” heir to the throne that it was called the “Ginza Incident.”

The work of a symbol of the nation

Perhaps it is precisely due to the fact that everyone understands what divine relatives the emperor has that all manifestations of his “humanity” cause constant delight and tenderness among his subjects. For example, his walks along the ocean coast near the imperial dacha in Hayama near Tokyo, during which he often approaches people and talks to them. Another example of his “humane” attitude towards his subjects was his conversation with refugees after natural disaster, during which His Imperial Majesty squatted down to make eye contact and have a conversation at the same level with a woman sitting in a wheelchair, rather than looking down at her.

The life of the emperor is filled with representative and ritual events in which he is obliged to take part. On average, he must attend 410 such events per year. The emperor rests for about 40 days a year, including weekends, of which he has an average of eight per month. Thus, he must participate, attend, or speak at an average of three events per day. As the emperor himself noted during one of his speeches on the occasion of his birthday, he increasingly feels his age. At the same time, despite attempts to reduce his work schedule, this is not very successful due to the monarch’s sense of responsibility and the desire to fully fulfill the mission entrusted to him.

Akihito became the first Japanese emperor to address the nation after a natural disaster. This happened in March 2011, when the Great East Japan Earthquake hit the country, followed by a tsunami, killing more than 18,000 people.

More than 80% of Japanese people believe that the emperor is doing an excellent job as a symbol of the nation. For the vast majority of Japanese, even those who hold leftist views and believe that the institution of monarchy in Japan has outlived its usefulness, the emperor evokes constant respect.

© REUTERS/Itsuo Inouye/Pool

“I am far from mystical and one can argue about divine origin, whether the legendary Emperor Jimmu is a myth or not, and who is the goddess Amaterasu related to His Majesty, but every time the filming falls on a cloudy or rainy day, it is enough for the emperor to appear, and together the sun comes out with him,” testifies a cameraman from the largest Japanese television company, who, as part of his duty, often travels to film the royal couple.

First again

In July, news spread throughout the country that the emperor had consulted with his entourage and would like to transfer the throne to the crown prince during his lifetime and retire. The current Law on the Imperial Household does not provide for the possibility of transferring the title during the lifetime of the current emperor. At the same time, there are precedents when, instead of an emperor who was in poor health, his functions were performed by a regent - this was the case at the beginning of the last century, when instead of Emperor Taisho, his functions were performed as regent by his son, the future Emperor Showa (Hirohito), the father of the current emperor.

© REUTERS/Issei Kato

If Emperor Akihito really decides to pass the throne to his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, during his lifetime, the country will face the need to realize legislative framework and development of a mechanism of inheritance. All this, according to preliminary calculations, may take from several months to several years. If this happens, the Heisei era will end, and Emperor Akihito, who gave the country almost three decades of the era of the Establishment of Peace, will retire and again, this time - for the last time in the status of emperor - will commit an act that will be the first in modern history Japan.