THE JAPANESE EMPEROR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2623, 4 May 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE JAPANESE EMPEROR.

The Emperor of Japan iB rich. He is allowed £1,000,000 a year for bis household department, and hia private fortune is large and increasing. He thoroughly understands busiueus matters, and keeps himself well informed as to his investments. Some of these are in the public lands and roads, and they are, of course, managed by officials appointed by him. The household department has to do with all matters relating to tlio imperial palace and to the Mikado. It prescribes the ceremonies, and attends to matters connected with the life of tho Emperor aud Empress. It has a board of chamberlains, a board of ceremonies, a department which takes care of the Emperor's horses, and one which has charge of the imperial sepulchres. It contains a bnreau of, nine imperial physicians. Prince Iwakura is grand master "of the imperial kitchen and cooking. His Majesty is a very studious man, He rises early, and breakfasts at S6ven or eight o'clock. He uses tho knife and fork in eating when he takes foreign food, and he adopts the. chopsticks at his Japanese dinners. He eats at a table, and sits upon chairs. He varies his meals, sometimes taking foreign food and sometimes Japanese. He is fond of meats, and has a well-trained Japanese cook to serve them for him. It is not customary for him to eat with the Empress, and he usually eats alone. After breakfast is over he goes to his study, aud at nine o'clock he receives such Ministers of State as have matters to report to him. His audiences with them often last until twelve o'clock. He then returns to his own room and takes his lunch. This usually consists of fish, meats, bread, and wine. After lunch, the Emperor spends some time in reading the newspapers and books. All the leading Japanese newspapers come to the palace, and he watches closely the current of public opinion. Many of the foreign papers are marked, aud in the case of the foreign papers of Japan, the more prominent articles are translated for him. Articles in the New York, London, and Paris papers which have a bearing upon Japan are translated and handed him to read, and lie is especially fond of the illustrated | foreign papers. After reading he takes his oxercise, and dinner comes in the evening. Sometimes the Empress dines with him, and at times the little prince, who is the heir to the throne, has a seat at the table. Both have however, their separate establishments The dinner is served in table d'hote style, and with all the European accompaniments. Her Majesty is especially fond of horseback riding. He had about threo hundred horses in the imperial mows, and he sits a horse well. He has a big race track in the grounds of the new palace, and ho is much interested in horse-breediug as well as iu horseracing. He attends the races in Tokio and in Yokohama, aud is fond of watching his nobles play polo. This game is often played insido the palaco grounds, and the Emperur hunts deer and \>ild pigs on his preserves. He shoots well, but as a rule he prefers to watch the others limit. Another favourite pursuit of the Emperor is duck-netting, and there will be opportunities for this sport in the new palace grounds. As in other sports, he prefers to look on, though he sometimes throws a net himself.