Order of the Precious Crown
The Order of the Precious Crown is a Japanese order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. Since the Order of the Rising Sun at that time was an Order for men, it was established as an Order for women. Originally the order had five classes, but on April 13, 1896 the sixth, seventh and eighth classes were added.
7th Class (Abolished in 2003)
8th Class (Abolished in 2003)
Order of the Precious Crown, 1st class plaque. End of the 19th century. Musée de la Légion d'honneur.
Mutsuhito, posthumously honored as Emperor Meiji, was the 122nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 1867 to his death, he presided over the Meiji era. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration, a series of rapid changes that witnessed Japan's transformation from an isolationist, feudal state to an industrialized world power.
Portrait by Uchida Kuichi, 1873
Nakayama Yoshiko (mother of Emperor Meiji)
Emperor Meiji wearing the sokutai, 1872
Emperor Meiji receives Dutch Minister-Resident Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek in 1868.