Emperor Akihito is the 125th representative of the dynasty. In 2016, the imperial family will be 2776 years old.
Crown Prince
Prince Tsigunomiya was born on December 23, 1933. The traditions of the country are such that the child was immediately taken away from his parents, and he was brought up by tutors. He only met with his parents a few times a month. Conversations were not allowed. They looked at each other, and then the boy was taken away. Such strict regulations in Japan.
Childhood of the Prince
When the child was seven years old, he was sent to a closed elite school at Gakushiun University. The young prince studied English, Western traditions and culture with the help of an American teacher. Of children's entertainment, he was only allowed to communicate with fish, and children's games are not for him, a descendant of the gods. Passion for fish later affected a deep knowledge of ichthyology, on which already an adult wrote several serious works.
The Imperial Family
The emperors of Japan are considered the descendants of the great deity that illuminates the heavens - Amaterasu. Their position on the throne is so strong that they do not need a surname. Divine origin has led to the fact that rivals on the throne havethere were never representatives of the imperial dynasty. To this day, there are no more emperors in any country except in Japan. Only Japonia retained the titles. Emperors Akihito and Hirohito are representatives of a dynasty that has not been interrupted since 660 BC. True, the times of the reigns of the first sixteen emperors are based only on legends. Emperor Akihito has three attributes of power - a mirror, a sword and a jasper seal. They are given by a father to his son when the prince takes office. Emperor Akihito received them in 1989.
Power of the Emperor
Starting from the XII century, the power of the emperors is only formal. Japan is now a constitutional monarchy, and Akihito, Emperor of Japan, has no real powers. He, according to the constitution, is only a symbol of the country, like the coat of arms, flag and anthem. The Japanese Emperor Akihito also serves as a symbol for the unification of the nation. "Peace and tranquility" is the motto of his reign. This is the translation of his name, Heisei, which will be called after his death.
Family Life
Prince Tsigunomiya married in 1959, breaking the millennial tradition, the girl Michiko Shoda, who did not belong to the aristocratic society.
She was the daughter of a very we althy and influential businessman, an intelligent person whose family members were awarded the Order of Cultural Merit. The girl received a brilliant both Japanese and Western education. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. She is fluent in English, she playspiano, in her youth she was actively involved in sports and met the prince on the court. Members of the imperial family did not approve of the proposed marriage, but society supported the young people. The wedding was traditional and televised.
Parenting
Future Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko again violated established traditions and began to raise their children, and their three (two princes and a princess) on their own. It got to the point that the crown princess took up breastfeeding them, not giving them to nurses. They managed to do everything: to take care of children, and to carry out protocol events. Suffice it to say that from 1959 to 1989 they visited 37 foreign countries.
Today they have a big friendly family, which is shown in the photo above.
What does the emperor do
Emperor Akihito has an inner need to be closer to his people. Since 1989, he and his wife have visited all forty-seven prefectures in Japan, as well as 18 foreign countries.
He issued several large-scale statements of remorse to Asian countries for their suffering during the period of Japanese occupation. In the United States, the imperial family visited the territory of Saipan, where the battle took place during World War II, and laid flowers at the memorial of not only Japanese, but also American soldiers. This found the lively support of the Japanese people, as did visits to war memorials in Tokyo, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Okinawa. Highlyimportant in the life of the inhabitants of the country was the appeal to them in 2011 by the emperor in connection with the tragedy at Fukushima. He didn't stop there. A month after heart surgery, he attended events that were held in memory of the victims of the earthquake. The people of the country appreciated this as a feat on his part.
Birthday
This is a national holiday when His Imperial Majesty, together with his wife and children, comes to the windows made of bulletproof glass and thanks his people, wishing them well-being and prosperity. On this day, all the streets are decorated with national flags, and tables with writing accessories are set up near the palace, on which everyone can leave their congratulations.
In Japan, the emperor is not referred to by name, but only as "His Majesty the Emperor". After his death, he will receive the name Emperor Heisei, the same will be called the era of his reign.
