ABSTRACT
The judges are appointed by the Emperor in January, and the poems of their selection are announced at the meeting along with those of the Emperor and Empress and the Princes and Princesses of the Blood. The annual court ceremony of the New Year’s Ode Party is a very solemn one that a limited few can have the honour of attending it. Yabusame is held on some felicitous occasions or at the festival of a local shrine. In November every year, the Kangiku-no-Gyoen or Chrysanthemum, viewing Garden Party is held at the Shinjuku Imperial Garden. The Han people of China prized the chrysanthemum a great deal, probably because they were very fond of yellow. “Kake” and “Mori” may be said to be the most popular way in which soba is served. On New Year’s Eve, most Japanese eat soba, which is accordingly called “toshikoshi-soba” or “year-crossing-soba.”
