Jewels of Emperor Naruhito’s Enthronement (Part 1)

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Get ready, everyone: time to survey the jewels of today’s magnificent enthronement in Japan! (And this is only part one…!)

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Emperor Naruhito began his reign when his father, Emperor Akihito, abdicated in May. On Tuesday, he began his official enthronement ritual with a visit to the Kashikodokoro sanctuary on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Inside the shrine, he prayed and informed his ancestors — and the sun goddess — of his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

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Empress Masako also attended the ceremony, wearing similar traditional attire.

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Other members of the imperial family were there, too. Leading this rainy procession was the emperor’s brother and heir, Crown Prince Fumihito. He was followed by his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, and their daughters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako. Next walked Princess Akiko of Mikasa, Princess Yoko of Mikasa, Princess Takamado, and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado.

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After the first ritual was complete, the entire imperial family gathered for the official enthronement ceremony, the Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi, at the palace. A pair of lacquered platforms had been constructed, topped by a pair of curtained pavilions with elaborate decorations, including two golden phoenixes.

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The curtains were pulled back to reveal Emperor Naruhito in his finery. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bowed low in front of the newly enthroned emperor during the ceremony.

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Empress Masako was impressive in her imperial attire during the ceremony.

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During the ceremony, Emperor Naruhito officially read out the proclamation of his ascension to the throne.

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At the culmination of the ceremony, the gathered Japanese dignitaries shouted “banzai!” — wishing long life to the emperor.

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The imperial family was also gathered and carefully dressed in traditional attire. The crown prince always wears orange during this ceremony, and you’ll see the Crown Prince Fumihito followed that tradition.

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Crown Princess Kiko stood near her husband during the enthronement ceremony…

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…as did their daughters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako.

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Emperor Naruhito’s uncle and aunt, the Prince and Princess Hitachi, were present as well.

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During the ceremony, Princess Akiko of Mikasa and Princess Yoko of Mikasa stood behind Prince and Princess Hitachi.

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Beside Princess Hitachi was Princess Tomohito of Mikasa, and behind her were Princess Takamado and Princess Tsuguko of Takamado.

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Foreign dignitaries from around the world witnessed the ceremony, including numerous royals. For the enthronement, they followed a formal daytime dress code, similar to the one mandated for Prinsjesdag in the Netherlands.

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who are close friends of the new emperor and empress, attended the ceremony. Here, you’ll see them greeting Prince Albert II of Monaco, who attended without Princess Charlene.

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Maxima glittered in diamonds, including the family’s gorgeous lattice necklace and earrings made using clusters from the Stuart Tiara.

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King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia represented Spain at the ceremony.

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Queen Letizia wore emerald earrings that come from the collection of her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia. (See another previous outing here!) But it was her necklace — the diamond collet necklace from the joyas de pasar — that grabbed most of the attention. The necklace appears to have been shortened. I’m wondering perhaps if the bracelet she’s wearing here was made using part of the necklace? It’s possible that the piece is convertible.

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The Sultan of Pahang, who was recently elected King of Malaysia, attended the ceremony with his wife, Queen Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah.

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She sparkled in a diamond necklace and a scattering of bejeweled butterfly pins.

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King Philippe and Queen Mathilde traveled from Belgium for the occasion. (It’s a short trip, so they can make it home in time for the Duchess of Brabant’s eighteenth birthday celebrations.) Mathilde tipped her hat to the ladies of the imperial family, wearing sleek pastels for the enthronement.

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She wore Queen Fabiola’s diamond and pearl drop earrings, and the outline of her dress and cape sparkled, too.

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King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema of Bhutan were there, too.

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She wore a gorgeous beaded necklace and earrings for the occasion.

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden accompanied her father, King Carl XVI Gustaf, to the ceremony.

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With her royal blue gown and hat, she wore earrings with circle pendants, plus a glittering bracelet and one of the brooches from the family’s amethyst parure.

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Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark represented the Danish royal family at the enthronement.

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Mary was seated directly beside another prominent royal — the Prince of Wales — during the ceremony.

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Mary wore the earrings, necklace (sans pendants), and bracelet from the grand ruby parure for the ceremony. If you know your royal jewel history, you’ll realize that this means that the ruby set has witnessed both a Japanese imperial enthronement (Naruhito, Imperial Palace in Tokyo, 2019) and a French imperial coronation (Napoleon I, Notre-Dame de Paris, 1804). Amazing.

Oh, and PS: there were even more (former) Japanese princesses in attendance! The emperor’s sister, Sayako Kuroda, wore the typical Japanese imperial daytime jewelry uniform (pearls and a brooch). Noriko Senge, the second daughter of Princess Takamado, jumped the jewelry gun just a bit and wore a diamond fringe tiara (!) for the enthronement.