Title
1927 Japan Emperor Taisho Funeral Procession No 1 Officers Night Tama Postcard
Front Description
A handsome Japanese commemorative postcard, No. 1 and the opening card of the numbered series issued for the state funeral of Emperor Taisho (Yoshihito), who died on 25 December 1926. The illustration shows the night-time funeral cortege proceeding towards the Tama Imperial Mausoleum (Tama Goryo) at Asakawa, near Hachioji, west of Tokyo.
A long column of mourners stretches diagonally from the left foreground deep into the distance on the right. At the far left walk senior military officers in full-dress uniform with gold-braided tunics, red and white sashes, orders and decorations, and plumed helmets. Beside them are three dignitaries in flowing black and pale mourning robes with black court caps, one carrying a staff, who stand out against the uniforms. Behind them the procession continues as a dense line of officers and officials in full dress with sashes, swords and plumed hats, receding towards a large traditional funeral hall with sweeping tiled roofs at the right. In the middle foreground, an attendant in grey court robes walks carrying a long flaming torch.
Several iron fire baskets (kagaribi) illuminate the route: one on a straw-wrapped stand with white paper shide streamers in the lower left foreground, another raised on a tall wooden tripod bound with straw and shide at the right, and further braziers along the enclosure, all streaming bright orange flame. The background shows the ceremonial enclosure of alternating white and grey striped curtains hung with tall yellow and green patterned banners and swags of black, white and blue bunting, with glowing globe lamps on tall standards. Dark wooded hills and a heavy, cloudy night sky frame the scene.
At the lower right the artwork bears the artist’s vertical signature 鳳齋謹寫 (Hōsai kinsha – “Respectfully painted by Hōsai”) with a round red seal, making this the signed card of the series.
Printed caption along the lower margin in English: “No. 1 Funeral Procession of the Late Emperor Taisho toward the Asakawa Mousoleum.” (with the original spelling “Mousoleum”), followed by Japanese text read right to left: 淺川多摩御陵葱華輦葬列鹵簿全圖 (Asakawa Tama Goryo Sōkaren Sōretsu Roba Zenzu – “Complete view of the funeral procession and imperial cortege of the Sōkaren palanquin to the Tama Imperial Mausoleum, Asakawa”) and in brackets (大正天皇御大喪儀) (Taisho Tenno Go-Taisogi – “The State Funeral of Emperor Taisho”).
Condition: Good colour and fine detail throughout. Wear to the corners, light edge wear, a few tiny surface specks, and light toning to the caption margin, all consistent with age. No major creases noted.
Back Description
Divided-back postcard, unused and unposted, with no handwriting, stamps or postmarks. All printing in orange ink.
Printed text:
“POST CARD” across the top centre.
“MADE IN JAPAN” printed vertically along the central dividing line (the final letter lightly printed).
Stamp box at upper right containing a triangular star-shaped publisher’s logo, with “TOKYO” and “JAPAN” printed around it.
Japanese text printed vertically at right: 郵便はかき (Yūbin Hakaki / Yūbin Hagaki – “Postcard”), written in the pre-1933 style without the dakuten voicing mark.
Condition: Light overall toning, a faint pink offset mark to the right of centre, a small dark speck near the upper right, scattered minor foxing, and light corner and edge wear. Clean with no writing.
Estimated Era
This postcard dates to early 1927 (Showa 2). It depicts the funeral procession of Emperor Taisho, held on 7–8 February 1927, as the cortege travelled to the newly built Tama Imperial Mausoleum at Asakawa, and it is card No. 1 of the same numbered commemorative set as Nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8. The reverse carries the identical Tokyo publisher’s star-and-triangle logo and the heading 郵便はかき without the dakuten, a style used before the official change to 郵便はがき in 1933. The artist’s signature, divided back, “MADE IN JAPAN” imprint, colour printing technique and card stock are all consistent with the late 1920s.
