Advertisement

Japan Opens New Residence for Emperor

Share via
<i> Reuters</i>

About 200 dignitaries attended a traditional Shinto ceremony Tuesday to mark the formal opening of a new $45-million residence on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo. The two-story residence, built at taxpayers’ expense, contains private quarters, office space and a reception area.

Emperor Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko, who did not attend Tuesday’s ceremony, are to move from the nearby Akasaka Palace to their new home by December, a palace spokesman said.

The building’s semicircular gabled roof is covered in copper and its walls are decorated with cream tiling designed to resemble a flock of wild geese in flight. Its 62 rooms are carpeted in beige or soft tones.

Advertisement
Advertisement