The enthronement of Crown Prince Naruhito which marks the dawn of a new Japanese imperial Era is joyfully welcomed both by the locals and foreign tourists in different occasions all over the country. Everyone is definitely in festive spirits as they celebrate the imperial succession through various countdown events, fireworks display and other interesting activities. To maintain peace and order despite their celebratory mood, the Japanese government made sure to have a tight security around the Imperial Palace as well as in other major tourist spots in Japan.
Numerous people across Japan took part in the celebration through a variety of ways. Some couples decided to get married as soon as the midnight strikes representing the official end of the Heisei period and the beginning of the Reiwa era. For the Japanese, Heisei means “achieving peace” while Reiwa symbolizes “beautiful harmony”.
Other locals intend to share their happiness by wearing Reiwa T-shirts. Masashi Egawa, a university student purposely visited Shibuya shopping and entertainment district in Tokyo where New Year’s day celebrations are often held in the previous years. While walking along the crowded streets and intersections of Shibuya, Egawa proudly wears his Reiwa shirt. In a news interview, he said that, “We want to shape an era in which more and more people can hold their heads up when they walk.”
Another popular tourist destination in Tokyo, the Tokyo Skytree also shared in the celebration by projecting through laser mapping an image which states “Thank you Heisei” during the last few hours of the previous era. The message of gratitude for Heisei then changed to a picture of Japan’s national flag at the dawn of the Reiwa era.
These festive events in celebration of the imperial transition and the beginning of the Reiwa era landed among the top-trending topics in social media. Netizens uploaded a great deal of photos showing the Imperial Palace as well as how they commemorated the imperial succession.
Reference: Japan in celebratory mood as Reiwa era begins
