Japan The Longest Reign

(3 of 3)

Hirohito's greatest pleasure was the study of marine biology, which he enthusiastically conducted in a laboratory built for him on his palace grounds. It was far more than a hobby: he published several books on the subject, and was a leading authority on jellyfish (medusae). The Emperor also kept himself busy by observing the ceremonial duties demanded of him by the postwar constitution. Despite his fondness for privacy, he diligently opened the Diet (parliament), welcomed foreign envoys and brushstroked his signature on about 1,200 state papers a year. The Emperor even bravely made the rounds of factories, though his shyness was so intense that he almost never ventured any comment except "A so desu ka? ((Is that so?))" Once, it is said, he was ushered into a receiving room to greet a visiting dignitary. The door was opened to reveal an empty hall. The Emperor peered into the chamber, bowed and turned to his aides: "Most interesting and pleasant. We should have more ceremonies like this."

Most important, Hirohito, in his constancy and serenity, served as an inspiration and a comfort to his people. While gamely adapting himself to the wrenching changes of postwar Japan, he continued to incarnate many of his culture's most ancient and hallowed customs. One of them required the Emperor to compose a traditional poem each year. In 1946, with his country broken and his role diminished, Hirohito took his leave of divine status with this calm verse: "Under the weight of winter snow/ The pine tree's branches bend/ But do not break." By 1987, he could write a different verse about his rebuilt land: "Year by year, as our country/ Has recovered from the war/ The dawn redwood has grown taller."