08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Emperor Naruhito To Play Viola With Mongolian Orchestra During State Visit
Emperor Naruhito will perform on the viola with the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Symphony Orchestra on July 8 during a state banquet hosted by Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa and First Lady Bolortsetseg Luvsandorj. The event will take place at a hotel in Ulaanbaatar, where the emperor and empress are staying during their official visit.
The emperor will perform two pieces — one Mongolian and one Japanese — in a musical collaboration symbolizing friendship between the two nations. It will be his second time playing alongside the Morin Khuur Orchestra and a rare public display of his long-held passion for music.
List of Contents:
2007 Visit: A Surprise Performance as Crown Prince
Visit Marks First Trip to Mongolia by Reigning Japanese Emperor
Related Posts
2007 Visit: A Surprise Performance as Crown Prince
This is Emperor Naruhito's second visit to Mongolia, the first being in 2007 as Crown Prince to mark the 35th anniversary of Japan-Mongolia diplomatic relations. During that visit, he surprised audiences at a concert in Ulaanbaatar's National Opera and Ballet Theatre by performing
The Swan
by Saint-Saëns with the Morin Khuur Orchestra.
In a notable gesture, he requested to perform the duet with a local violist rather than solo, believing it would better serve the spirit of cultural exchange. The former Ambassador of Japan to Mongolia, Yasuyoshi Ichihashi, who accompanied the then-Crown Prince, told the
Yomiuri Shimbun
, 'Mongolia is a country with deep attachment and pride in its ethnic culture and music. His Majesty was able to close the emotional distance with the local people through his viola.'
Visit Marks First Trip to Mongolia by Reigning Japanese Emperor
The emperor and empress arrived in Mongolia on July 6 to a warm welcome from Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg and other dignitaries. The visit is the third overseas trip of Emperor Naruhito's reign and the first by a reigning Japanese emperor to Mongolia.
While in Mongolia, the imperial couple will also visit a memorial for approximately 1,700 Japanese detainees who died there after World War II. They will attend the Naadam Festival opening ceremony, and visit schools, hospitals and local children's facilities with strong ties to Japan.
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