People celebrate the new era of Reiwa in central Osaka. “Heisei, thank you,” he shouts, before jumping off the Ebisubashi bridge in the western city of Osaka — and landing, painfully, on the deck of a passing sightseeing boat. Because the 85-year-old Emperor Akihito abdicated, the country has been able to celebrate the end of his reign without mourning. It has also been celebrating the start of the new Reiwa era, under his son, Emperor Naruhito, who acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on Wednesday. Others decided to mark the first day of the Reiwa era by getting married, or simply heading to a beach and watching the sunrise.

Source: Washington Post May 02, 2019 07:41 UTC