Transmitting Traditional Cultures to Posterity

Their Majesties occasionally compile waka poems. Each year in January, an Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading, which is said to have started in the Nara period, is held. His Majesty continues the rice cultivation that the Emperor Showa started, while Her Majesty continues the silk cultivation that Empress Dowager Shoken (Empress consort to Emperor Meiji) started and the Empress Kojun continued.

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Each year in January, an Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading is held, and Their Majesties compile waka poems. Trivia Since early days, waka poems have been highly valued as the tradition of the Imperial Family. In the Imperial New Year's Poetry Reading, waka poems chosen from those sent from all over Japan are recited in the traditional way.	Each year in May, His Majesty Himself plants rice in the paddy in the Imperial Palace. Trivia His Majesty conducts all the practices including sowing seed-rice, transplanting, reaping the rice.	Her Majesty conducts the initial silk cultivation practices. Trivia Silk cultivation is performed from early May to early July each year. The cultivation includes five major practices.

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