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DescriptionThis is a set of two original Japanese commemorative photo albums published in 1924 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Hirohito, later Emperor Showa (Emperor Hirohito), and Princess Nagako, later Empress Kojun.The young man pictured in these albums would become one of the most historically significant figures of 20th-century Japan.Only two years later, in 1926, Hirohito ascended the throne as Emperor of Japan. During his long reign, Japan experienced the Manchurian Incident, the Second Sino-Japanese War, World War II and the Pacific War, defeat in 1945, the Allied Occupation, and the extraordinary transformation of postwar Japan.As Emperor, Hirohito stood at the apex of the Japanese state throughout the wartime period. His precise political role and responsibility in Japan’s wartime decision-making remain subjects of historical debate, but there is no question that he was a central figure in the history of Imperial Japan and World War II.What makes these albums particularly fascinating is that they show Hirohito before all of that history unfolded—a young Crown Prince in his early twenties celebrating his marriage.The wedding took place on January 26, 1924. It had originally been planned for the previous year but was postponed following the devastating Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1923.The albums contain portraits of Crown Prince Hirohito and Princess Nagako, scenes surrounding the Imperial wedding celebrations, crowds near Imperial sites, and attractive color illustrations depicting traditional court ceremony and dress.One album features a particularly striking phoenix design and the English inscription:“In Commemoration of the Marriage Ceremony Between the Prince Regent and the Princess Nagako”The other is titled “Togu Gokonrei Kinencho” (Crown Prince Wedding Commemorative Album) and was published by the Shin-Aichi Newspaper Company. It includes contemporary photographs and newspaper-style text, offering a glimpse of how this major royal event was presented to the Japanese public at the time.These are approximately 100-year-old original publications. Age-related toning, stains, wear, creases, and other signs of use may be present. Please carefully examine the photographs for condition.This is more than a pair of royal wedding souvenirs.They capture Hirohito before he became the Emperor who would reign over Japan during World War II—before the wars, the destruction of 1945, and Japan’s transformation into a postwar nation.Two surviving pieces from the quiet beginning of a life that would become inseparable from the history of modern Japan.Own a Piece of History.Shipping
FedEx or Japan Post
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