Traditional Tasks for the Emperor and Empress of Japan

Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan perform a variety of official duties throughout the year, including holding audiences and greeting official guests and heads of state at the Imperial Palace, visiting exhibitions and museums and spending time with the people of Japan in times of need, such as when natural disasters occur in the country.

Other duties include performing ceremonial tasks including Shinto rituals to honour past Emperors or family members who have died.  However, some duties, although still ritualistic, are of a less formal nature – in appearance at least!

Last week, Empress Michiko started to feed the silkworms with mulberry leaves at the Imperial Palace cocoonery as she will do on numerous occasions over the next few weeks.  In the meantime, Emperor Akihito attended to the annual planting of rice in the paddy fields of the Imperial Palace.  Wearing boots as he went into the paddy field, the emperor carefully planted 100 rice plants in total.  Late in the year, His Imperial Majesty will harvest the rice.

Filed under Japan
Tagged Emperor Akihito of Japan, Empress Michiko of Japan.

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