Order of the Chrysanthemum

Order of the Chrysanthemum 大勲位菊花章 Dai-kun'i kikka-shō
Order of the Chrysanthemum of Victor Emmanuel III. Musée de la Légion d'Honneur
Awarded by the Emperor of Japan
Awarded for	At the monarch's pleasure
Status	Currently constituted
Sovereign	HIM The Emperor
Grades (w/ post-nominals)	Collar Grand Cordon
Established	1876
Precedence
Next (lower)	Order of the Paulownia Flowers

The Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum (大勲位菊花章, Dai-kun'i kikka-shō^?, literally Grand Order of the Badge of the Chrysanthemums) is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar (or chain), or with grand cordon (or sash). Unlike its European counterparts, the order may be conferred posthumously.

The collar of the order is awarded only posthumously, except for the reigning emperor, who automatically holds the rank. Exceptions are made for foreign heads of state, who can be awarded the collar as a sign of friendship.

The grand cordon is the highest possible honor a Japanese citizen could be awarded during his lifetime. Aside from the imperial household, only three grand cordons have been awarded to living citizens and eleven to the deceased.

The badge of the order is a four-pointed gilt badge with white enameled rays; the center bears a red enameled sun disc. On each of the four corners of the badge there is a yellow-enameled chrysanthemum blossom with green enameled chrysanthemum leaves. The badge is suspended on a yellow-enameled chrysanthemum, either on the collar or on the grand cordon.

The star of the order is similar to the badge, but in silver, without the chrysanthemum suspension, and with an eight-pointed gilt medallion (with white enameled rays and red enameled sun disc) placed at the center. It is worn on the left chest.

The grand cordon of the order is red with dark blue border stripes. It is worn on the right shoulder.

Selected recipients

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Collar

• HIM The Emperor
• Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, 1962^[1]
• Harald V of Norway
• Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden
• Albert II of Belgium, 1996
• Mohammed VI of Morocco, 2005^[2]
• Abdullah II of Jordan, 1999
• Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin of Malaysia, 2005
• Sultan Azlan Shah of Malaysia, 1991
• Sultan Abdul Halim of Malaysia, 1970
• Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, 1984
• Sultan Qaboos of Oman
• Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan, 1987
• Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia, 1968^[3]
• Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, 1984
• Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand
• Juan Carlos I of Spain

Grand Cordon (Imperial family)

• HIM The Emperor
• Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan
• Prince Akishino
• Prince Hitachi
• Prince Mikasa
• Prince Tomohito of Mikasa
• Prince Katsura

Grand Cordon

• Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, 1971^[4]
• Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh^[5]
• Charles, Prince of Wales, 1971.^[6]
• Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden^[7]
• Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.^[8]
• Prince Joachim of Denmark.^[9]
• Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange
• Prince Philippe, Duke of Brabant ^[10]
• Yasuhiro Nakasone.
• Porfirio Diaz.
• Toomas Hendrik Ilves^[11]
• Valdas Adamkus.^[12]
• Aleksander Kwaśniewski.^[13]
• Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga.
• Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Collar (deceased)

• Emperor Meiji (1852–1912).
• Emperor Taishō (1879–1926).
• Emperor Shōwa (1901–1989).
• Guangxu Emperor (1872–1908)
• Emperor Kojong of Korea (1852–1919).
• Emperor Sunjong of Korea (1874–1926).
• Tuanku Syed Putra (1920–2000).
• Haile Selassie I (1892–1974).
• Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah (1906–1979).
• Alfonso XIII of Spain (1886–1941).^[14]
• Prince Kan'in Kotohito (1865–1945).
• Birendra of Nepal (1945–2001).
• Mahendra of Nepal (1920–1972).
• Muhammad Zahir Shah (1914–2007).^[15]
• Fuad I (1868–1936).
• Faruk I (1920–1965).
• Hussein I (1935–1999).
• Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (1926–2006).
• Muhammad Reza Pahlavi (1919–1980).
• Tōgō Heihachirō (1848–1934).^[16]
• Caliph Abdülhamid II of the Ottoman Empire, 1887^[17]

Grand Cordon (deceased)

• Aiswarya (1949–2001).
• Dipendra of Nepal (1971–2001)
• Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969).^[18]
• Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900–1974).^[19]
• Nobusuke Kishi (1896–1987).^[20]
• Benito Mussolini (1883–1945).^[21]
• Álvaro Obregón (1880–1928).^[22]
• Keizo Obuchi (1937–2000).^[23]
• Prajadhipok of Siam (1893–1941).^[24]
• Puyi (1906–1967).
• Ronald Reagan (1911–2004).^[25]
• Samuel Robinson (1870–1958).^[26]
• Sanjō Sanetomi (1837–1891).^[27]
• Amha Selassie I (1916–1997).
• Prince Makonnen of Ethiopia (1923-1957).^[28]
• Prince Sahle Selassie of Ethiopia (1931-1962).^[29]
• Norodom Suramarit, King of Cambodia. (1896–1960)
• Noboru Takeshita (1924–2000).
• Morohashi Tetsuji (1993)-1982).^[30]
• Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980).
• Togo Heihachiro (1848–1934).^[31]
• Prince Imperial Ui (1877–1955).
• Vong Savang (1931-198?).
• Yamamoto Isoroku (1884–1943).^[32]
• Crown Prince Euimin of Korea (1897–1970).
• John H. Lang US Navy ^[33]

Notes

1. ^ Bortrick, William. "The Royal Family–HM Queen Elizabeth II," Burke's Peerage.
2. ^ Promoted from Grand Cordon in 1987.
3. ^ Promoted from Grand Cordon awarded in 1955.
4. ^ Hamilton, Alan. "Palace small talk problem solved: royal guest is a goby fish fanatic," The Times (London). May 30, 2007.
5. ^ Order awarded 5 Oct. 1971:Regiments: British, Empire, Commonwealth
6. ^ Order awarded 5 Oct. 1971:Regiments: British, Empire, Commonwealth
7. ^ ViewImages.com
8. ^ Danish Crown Prince website
9. ^ Jewelry
10. ^ Order awarded 26th May 1994, mentioned in his biography in the official publication of the Belgian Senate
11. ^ http://www.estonia.com.au/pics/er_21.pdf
12. ^ President of the Republic of Lithuania - Biography
13. ^ Polish presidential web page
14. ^ Honor awarded 1930 -- "Japan to Decorate King Alfonso Today; Emperor's Brother Nears Madrid With Collar of the Chrysanthemum for Spanish King." New York Times, November 3, 1930.
15. ^ Decoration probably conferred during 1969 State Visit to Japan -- no specific citation support.
16. ^ See collar in formal portrait, File:Tōgō Heihachirō.jpg
17. ^ http://www.osmanlihanedanvakfi.com/2011/02/01/japon-imparatorunun-ii-abdulhamid-han%e2%80%99a-mektubu.html
18. ^ Honor awarded 1954 -- Weisman, Stephen. "Reagan Given Top Award by Japanese," New York Times. October 24, 1989.
19. ^ Honor awarded 1929 -- "Imperial Garter," Time Magazine, May 13, 1929.
20. ^ "The Orphan of Asia," Time Magazine, July 20, 1959.
21. ^ Honor awarded in 1938 -- "Flower to Mussolini," Time Magazine, September 5, 1938.
22. ^ Honor awarded in 1024 -- "Japan Decorates Obregon; Order of the Chrysanthemum is Conferred by Special Ambassador," New York Times, November 28, 1924.
23. ^ MOFA, speeches at Memorial Service
24. ^ Honor awarded 1931 -- Mighty Monarch," Time Magazine, April 20, 1931.
25. ^ Honor awarded 1989 -- Weisman, Stephen. "Reagan Given Top Award by Japanese," New York Times. October 24, 1989.
26. ^ Vancouver Maritime Museum
27. ^ Honor awarded 1882.
28. ^ [1]
29. ^ [2]
30. ^ Honor awarded 1957 -- Sanjo City website: Morohashi Tetsuji Museum
31. ^ Honor awarded in 1926 -- "Sea Noon," Time Magazine, November 8, 1926; "Profound Alarm," Time Magazine, July 6, 1931.
32. ^ Honor awarded posthumously.
33. ^ Chapter 21, "Between the lines of World II, Paul. M. Edwards, Mcfarland & Company, Jefferson, N.C., Chapter 21, 2010

See also

• Neck order

References

• Peterson, James W., Barry C. Weaver and Michael A. Quigley. (2001). Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States. San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America. 10-ISBN 1-890-97409-9/13-ISBN 978-1-890-97409-1; OCLC 45437720

External links

• Japan, Cabinet Office: Decorations and Medals
  • Decoration Bureau: Order of the Chrysanthemum
• Japan Mint: Production Process