Naruhito, the first emperor to visit Mongolia, tours museum
ULAN BATOR—Emperor Naruhito took in the golden statue of the founder of the Mongol Empire and other artifacts at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum here, the first stop of his eight-day trip to Mongolia.
Empress Masako is accompanying Naruhito, who is the first emperor to travel to the East Asian country. Naruhito toured the museum on July 7.
The facility opened in October 2022 to showcase Mongolia's history and culture spanning from ancient times to the early 20th century.
Naruhito also viewed the oldest inscription in the Mongolian language, armor from the Mongol Empire and a saddle decorated with horse teeth, listening to explanations by the museum's director, Chuluun Sampildondov.
He appeared particularly interested in horses of Mongolian nomads, according to Chuluun.
The emperor asked questions, such as 'Is the body shape of past horses different from that of contemporary horses?' and 'How many kilometers can horses travel in a single day?'
In addition, Naruhito asked how Genghis Khan, also known as Chinggis Khaan, secured water while traveling across Asia to build his vast empire in the early 13th century.
At a news conference prior to the trip, he said he wanted to deepen understanding of the conqueror of central Asia.
The emperor said after the tour that he was able to learn many new things, according to Chuluun.
The museum was chosen as the first location Naruhito visited in Mongolia out of respect for the country's history.
The imperial couple's visit runs from July 6-13. They are scheduled to meet with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and first lady Luvsandorj Bolortsetseg; attend the opening ceremony of Naadam, a national festival dedicated to the country's traditional sports; and lay flowers at a monument memorializing Japanese wartime detainees.
Takashi Matsukawa, a professor of Mongol studies at Otani University, said Naruhito's official visit to Mongolia is broadening the scope of imperial diplomacy as he is the first emperor to travel to Asia's inland region.
Matsukawa accompanied Naruhito when he was still crown prince on part of his visit to Mongolia in 2007.
He said Naruhito observing Naadam, which features three games of horse racing, wrestling and archery, will be favorably received as a sign of his understanding and interest in Mongolia's traditional culture.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Lawson to offer overnight stay at parking lots for people in vehicles
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese convenience store operator Lawson Inc. said on Monday that it will launch a new paid service to offer its stores' parking lots to travelers spending the night in their vehicles amid soaring accommodation costs. The company will hold a trial at six outlets in Chiba Prefecture, near Tokyo, from July 14 through June next year, with plans to expand the service nationwide. Expecting young people to use the service, it plans to charge 2,500 yen ($17) to 3,000 yen per night. The parking lots, available from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, can be reserved through the website run by the Japan Recreational Vehicle Association and paid for with a credit card. The company said that there are not enough places for people to stay overnight in vehicles amid the growing popularity of recreational vehicles and budget-minded travel. While public bath facilities and roadside stations also offer similar services, Lawson emphasizes the advantage of the outlets' around-the-clock operation, which enables users to buy food and drinks and use the bathroom in the store at any time. "We can also provide a sense of security since there are always staff in the store," an official of the company said.
The Mainichi
4 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan's Dogo Onsen hot spring bathhouse adorned with star festival ornaments, wind chimes
MATSUYAMA -- The courtyard of Dogo Onsen Annex Asuka-no-Yu hot spring bathhouse in this west Japan city is adorned with decorations for the July 7 Tanabata star festival, exuding an illusionary atmosphere with illuminations at night. The installation, titled "Dogo Tanabata Story 2025," features wooden lanterns and Tanabata ornaments, and is lit up every evening between 7 and 11 p.m. until Aug. 7. In the corridor in front of the annex building, 288 wind chimes are hanging, ringing cool sounds as "tanzaku" slips of paper rustle in the wind. On the paper are quoted traditional Japanese "waka" poetry related to Tanabata from the 7-8th century "Manyoshu" anthology. A woman in her 20s visiting the annex with her two daughters, aged 4 and 2, wrote her wishes for her family's health on one of the paper slips. Her children also penned their respective wishes, including one for a toy, before attaching them to bamboo grass bearing Tanabata ornaments, with smiles on their faces. A representative at the Dogo Onsen Office commented, "We hope many people will enjoy strolling the town in Dogo in the evening." For inquiries, call the Dogo Onsen Consortium at 089-932-1126.
Japan Today
4 hours ago
- Japan Today
Lawson to offer overnight stay at parking lots for people in vehicles
Japanese convenience store operator Lawson Inc said on Monday that it will launch a new paid service to offer its stores' parking lots to travelers spending the night in their vehicles amid soaring accommodation costs. The company will hold a trial at six outlets in Chiba Prefecture from July 14 through June next year, with plans to expand the service nationwide. Expecting young people to use the service, it plans to charge 2,500 yen to 3,000 yen per night. The parking lots, available from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, can be reserved through the website run by the Japan Recreational Vehicle Association and paid for with a credit card. The company said that there are not enough places for people to stay overnight in vehicles amid the growing popularity of recreational vehicles and budget-minded travel. While public bath facilities and roadside stations also offer similar services, Lawson emphasizes the advantage of the outlets' around-the-clock operation, which enables users to buy food and drinks and use the bathroom in the store at any time. "We can also provide a sense of security since there are always staff in the store," an official of the company said. © KYODO
