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Japan Times
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Japanese Emperor, Empress deepen ties with Mongolia
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako deepened their bonds with Mongolia during an eight-day state visit to the country. The Imperial couple are scheduled to return from the trip on Sunday. During the visit, the Emperor and the Empress met with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife, and attended the opening ceremony for Naadam, a traditional festival in Mongolia. With this year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako paid tribute to Japanese nationals who died in detention in Mongolia in the aftermath of the war. They also interacted with Mongolians from a wide range of generations, including young people who are expected to serve as a bridge between the two countries. Respect for Mongolian Culture At an airport in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, on July 6, the first day of the trip, the couple were welcomed by a Mongolian woman wearing a traditional costume, who offered them aaruul, a local dairy food. At a banquet hosted by the Mongolian first couple Tuesday, President Khurelsukh said in a welcome address that the Japanese Imperial couple's visit to his country will be remembered as a milestone in the history of the two countries' friendship. In response, Emperor Naruhito delivered an address, partially in Mongolian. He then played two songs on the viola in a joint performance with the Mongolian State Morin Khuur Ensemble, getting a big round of applause. Emperor Naruhito also visited the Chinggis Khaan National Museum and Gandantegchinlen Monastery, a Buddhist temple, to show his respect for Mongolia's history and culture. He also went to Mongol Kosen College of Technology — an educational institution modeled after Japanese technical colleges known as "kosen" — and a water-related facility built with assistance from Japan. It rained during the couple's tour of Mongolia, but this was welcomed as a good omen due to the country's dry climate. Spotlight on History of Internment On Tuesday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited a cenotaph built in Ulaanbaatar for the Japanese who were detained by the former Soviet Union after World War II and died in Mongolia. As the rain fell, the Emperor and Empress laid wreaths at the monument and observed a minute of silence, followed by a deep bow. The Imperial couple then folded their umbrellas and bowed to the cenotaph again. It was the first time that a Japanese emperor has paid tribute at a site where Japanese were detained during or after the war. Fusae Suzuki, 88, whose father died during detention in Mongolia, accompanied the Imperial couple on their visit to the cenotaph. "The spotlight had not been on the detainees in Mongolia, but their souls can now rest in peace," she said, expressing her gratitude to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako for their visit to the monument. Regarding the reason the Emperor and the Empress folded their umbrellas during their prayers, an official from the Imperial Household Agency said they may have thought that it was not appropriate to pay tribute to the deceased while using them. Ulziitogtokh, a Mongolian, who built a museum about the Japanese detainees, met with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the official residence of Japan's ambassador to Mongolia on Friday. The Imperial couple's latest visit made Mongolians from various generations know about Japanese detainees, said Ulziitogtokh.
NHK
12-07-2025
- NHK
Japanese Emperor, Empress end their 8-day visit to Mongolia
Japan's Imperial couple have completed the main events of their eight-day official visit to Mongolia. On Saturday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrived at a horse racing venue about 40 kilometers from the capital Ulaanbaatar. Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife were there to welcome them. Horse racing is one of the main events of the Naadam traditional sports festival. They attended the festival's opening ceremony in the capital the previous day. More than 100 horses ridden by children as jockeys race through a 22-kilometer grassland course. The event symbolizes the tradition of Mongolians as nomads on horseback. Later, the couple visited the Hustai National Park to see the oldest species of wild horse known as Takhi. The animal was once declared extinct in wild in the 1960s but is being reintroduced to its natural habitat. After the visit, the Emperor shared with reporters his thoughts on what he experienced in Mongolia. He said it was a week of pleasant exposure to Mongolia's rich history, culture and beautiful natural surroundings. He also said he met youth who are interested in Japan and eager to deepen their understanding of the country. He said some of them expressed a desire to visit or stay in Japan to study. He said he felt their passions for Japan. The Imperial couple are due to depart Mongolia on Sunday.
NHK
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NHK
Japan's Emperor, Empress attend traditional Mongolian sports festival ceremony
Japan's Emperor and Empress, now visiting Mongolia, have attended the opening ceremony of the Naadam traditional sports festival, which is listed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Naadam, which means festival in Mongolian, is held every year from July 11, marking the revolution day, through 13. It focuses on the three traditional games of horse racing, wrestling and archery. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the ceremony at a stadium in the capital Ulaanbaatar on Friday, along with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife. Seated behind the Imperial couple was former sumo wrestler and Yokozuna Grand Champion Hakuho, who was born in Mongolia. The Emperor also attended the event's opening ceremony 18 years ago when he was Crown Prince. The couple watched a parade of a mounted troop carrying a flag of Genghis Khan, the founder of the ancient Mongol empire, and a dance performance honoring the state guests. They then moved to another venue for a demonstration of traditional archers shooting at targets placed about 100 meters away. The Emperor and Empress cheered and applauded when both a male and a female archer hit the targets perfectly. President Khurelsukh also picked up a bow himself and shot an arrow into the sky, which drew smiles and more applause from the Imperial couple. The Emperor and Empress are scheduled to watch horse racing on the vast grassland on Saturday, which is one of the most popular sporting events in Mongolia.
Japan Times
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Emperor visits Mongolian school offering Japanese-style education
Emperor Naruhito on Thursday visited Shine Mongol School, a private school in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, that incorporates Japanese-style education, with its school uniforms, school lunches and club activities. After being greeted by students, the emperor inspected a Japanese class for high school students. In response to students speaking in Japanese, including about their dreams of studying in Japan, the emperor said, "I'm very glad to see you studying with such high aspirations." The school's predecessor, Shine Mongol High School, was founded in 2000 by Janchiv Galbadrakh, 62, who studied at Yamagata University in northeastern Japan and whose eldest daughter attended a high school in Japan. Shine Mongol High School has evolved into a comprehensive educational institution offering elementary through high school education and also featuring a college of engineering and a Japanese-style technical college known as kōsen. Later on Wednesday, Emperor Naruhito visited Gandantegchinlen Monastery, a key temple in the country that has been influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. The emperor walked inside the temple while watching tsam, a traditional dance with masks, and viewed a 26-meter-tall deity statue. Before leaving the temple, the emperor received a bouquet from a 10-year-old monk named Gungaagarmaa and told him, "Please come to Japan when you grow up."
CNN
11-07-2025
- CNN
The world's first national park isn't in the US. It's in Mongolia
Many American schoolchildren grow up learning that Yellowstone was the world's first national park. But across the globe in Mongolia, just south of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, a mountain holds a claim to the crown. Like many things in Mongolia, that mountain has a connection to Chinggis Khan (also known as Genghis Khan), who founded the Mongol empire in the 1200s and whose name and likeness are ubiquitous in present-day Mongolia. Toghrulkhan (known as Toghrul or Ong Khan), a close friend and ally of Khan's father, protected and venerated Bogd Khan Uul. According to the historical work 'Secret Lives of the Mongols,' the oldest existing book in Mongolia, Toghrul barred anyone from hunting and logging, among other activities, as early as the 13th century. Today, entering Bogd Khan Uul, which was recognized as a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1996, banishes the memory of the crowds and pollution of the capital. The Terelj River carves a path through dense patches of pine, birch and aspen trees. White butterflies swirl past in groups. As a result of the park's long-standing respected status, many native plants and animals have flourished, protected from hunting and farming. They include the rare musk deer — notable for having tusklike teeth — and the Arctic hare. Visitors should also be on the lookout for eagles, vultures, marmots and wild boars. The mountain of Bogd Khan Uul 'is sacred and symbolic for all the Mongols,' says Saruul-Erdene Myagmar, an Ulaanbaatar native who is a Mongolia specialist at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. Bogd means 'saint' in Mongolian, and 'uul' is mountain, while Khan is a ceremonial title given to rulers. One translation of Bogd Khan Uul is 'the Khan's saint's mountain.' And what about the claim that Bogd Khan Uul is older than Yellowstone? In 1778, Mongolian aristocrats wrote to the emperor of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty, which ruled the area at the time, asking for Bogd Khan Uul to be designated an official protected area. He said yes. Meanwhile, Yellowstone, which stretches across parts of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, was established in 1872. By comparison, Australia got its first national park in 1879, Canada in 1885, France in 1963 and Egypt in 1983. In the Caribbean, there's another contender. The Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve, established in 1776, also has a claim to being the world's oldest protected area. But many Mongolians ignore the 1778 date and mark the beginning of Bogd Khan Uul's 'protected status' as during the 13th century, which would put the park ahead of its competitors by several centuries. Unlike Yellowstone and other famous parks, Bogd Khan Uul remains relatively unknown in the rest of the world. That has a lot to do with Mongolia's location — this cold, landlocked country wedged between China and Russia has not seen many international visitors. Much of the information about the park and its history is only available in Mongolian. However, that is changing. Mongolia is investing heavily in tourism and hopes the industry can grow to contribute 10% to its economy by 2030. About 808,000 foreign tourists visited Mongolia in 2024, the highest number in history. For Mongolians like Myagmar, the mountain's significance is not just about whether it really is the world's oldest national park or not. 'Before Buddhism even, there's the shamanism. Very ancient belief is that all the mountains and rivers have their own owner. It's almost like a ghost,' he says. 'Bogd Uul's owner is this white old man. If we offend this owner, then all sorts of bad things will happen.' The park's spiritual legacy remains. Today, Bogd Khan Uul is dotted with ovoos, which are sacred cairns made of rocks, pieces of wood and colorful scraps of fabric. At the park, it's considered bad manners, if not downright bad luck, to leave behind trash, use the bathroom outside of designated areas or interfere with an ovoo. Many travelers staying in the city center combine a visit to the national park with a stop at Zaisan Hill, home to a monument of the same name. This dramatic Brutalist memorial has colorful murals on the inside and is dedicated to Soviet and Mongolian soldiers killed during World War II. Perched on top of a hill, it's a good way to get a sense of one's bearings and a view of the city. However, this largely depends on the sky conditions that day — the air in 'UB,' as locals call it, can be very hazy. From the Zaisan Monument, it's a short walk to the northern entrance of Bogd Khan Uul. There are trails that range from easy to difficult, all well marked. Travelers who make it to the top of the mountain should not miss the ruins of the Manzushir Monastery. Once a Buddhist stronghold and home to many monks, Manzushir was destroyed in 1937 by local communists who had joined forces with the Soviet occupiers of the country. Still, the ruins and remaining religious objects are well looked after by residents, especially as the current government is encouraging Mongolian pride and identity. Most foreign tourists opt for day hikes in Bogd Khan Uul, but those who want to stay the night have a few options with local companies that operate camps of gers, the traditional round Mongolian tents. These camps are rustic and have only basic amenities, but they provide a rare chance to experience the exceptional peace and quiet while stargazing and — for much of the year — watching the snow fall. Although Bogd Khan Uul is only about 10 miles south of central Ulaanbaatar, the city's notoriously congested traffic means it can take up to an hour to get to the park at peak times of day. Your best bet is to go there on a weekday just after morning rush hour, giving you plenty of daylight for exploring. Public transit is limited in Ulaanbaatar — there is no subway system, so people either use buses or their own cars to get around. Taxis are generally not labeled — most people simply stand on the side of the road with their hand out and wait for one to pull up. There is an available taxi app, called UBCab app, that offers English functionality, but you'll need cash to pay if you don't have a Mongolian bank account. The country's air hub, Chinggis Khaan International Airport (UBN), is about an hour and a half from the park. The airport is mostly limited to short-haul flights from Asian cities like Seoul, Hong Kong and Beijing. United Airlines operates seasonal flights to Mongolia from the US, but they require a stopover in Tokyo. Beyond Bogd Khan Uul, Mongolia is home to some of the world's most diverse landscapes and has a total of 29 national parks. Among them are parts of the Gobi Desert; the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley, about five hours' drive from Ulaanbaatar; the Altai Mountains in far western Mongolia (home to the country's tallest peak, Tavan Bogd); and the beautiful Lake Khuvsgul, an ancient body of water near the Russian border.
