JAPAN: Obeisance

Bronze gongs throbbed softly and with stiff rustling of robes the Shinto priests bowed low to the ground, for in the confines of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Tsugu-no-Miya Akihito, Crown Prince of Japan, last week was worshipping his illustrious ancestors. Utterly oblivious to the solemnity of the occasion was Tsugu-no-Miya Akihito, for His Celestial Highness last week was just three months old, a little round buttonhead of a baby, swaddled and lying on a brocaded pillow in the arms of his nurse. In solemn procession, Prince, pillow and nurse went first...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!