3 The New York Years (1931–1953)

National and International Recognition 317
gifts. These were really quite fabulous, a beautiful silver vase with a chrysanthemum
ornament, and a medal commemorating my receipt of the Prize. This was
followed by a message from the Emperor, and subsequently by messages from the
two Ministers. This was followed by a further congratulatory message delivered
by Professor Peter Raven, a frequent visitor of Japan and director of the Missouri
Botanical Garden. The moment had now come where I had to step forward, and
deliver a five minute acceptance speech. After the applause it was announced that
the Imperial Majesties would be leaving and everybody got up and bowed to them
as they left the hall. After them the Ministers left the hall and then I, together with
Christa, departed, followed by various of our Japanese associates.
This was followed by a reception in a special room in the basement where little
tidbits and alcoholic as well as soft drinks were offered. There we were soon joined
by the Ministers and the Imperial Majesties. The Emperor engaged me in a lengthy
conversation and the Empress did likewise with Christa. During my conversation
with the Emperor, at least six or seven television cameras were directed at us and
our conversation was recorded for television and the press. We then were taken
by our hosts back to our hotel. These trips in Tokyo, although relatively short in
distance, always take a long time by limousine because the traffic jams are unbelievable.
There is nothing one encounters in NewYork or Boston that corresponds
to the jams in Tokyo streets. In the evening there was a dinner party in my honor
where we were sitting at a regular table and could either use chopsticks or European
utensils. I preferred the latter. There were some excellent dishes served, and at the
end the President of the Society for the Promotion of Science (Fujita) gave a little
speech and I followed with a thank you address in which I praised the objectives
of the Society.
On the 29th a special symposium was held to accompany the award ceremonies.
I gave a 40-minute introductory lecture and Walter Bock was asked to introduce
me before I began speaking. I left after the first few lectures, because it would have
been too tiring to stay through the entire symposium.
In the evening an event took place which was perhaps the most memorable
and unique of everything we experienced. Christa and I were invited to a private
dinner in the Imperial Palace which even impressed the Japanese. On previous
occasions, I was told, the Emperor had often invited the awardee for tea, but this,
apparently, was the first occasion where he had invited the awardee for dinner.
Professors Raven and Bock were asked to join us. We were carefully instructed
what to do and what not to do, and finally the limousine took us to the Imperial
compound. We had to pass through I would think about three different gates, each
time with a careful check including showing our passports. Finally, we were taken
to the reception room without being asked to take our shoes off. Shortly after we
had been seated in the reception room the Imperial Majesties appeared and we
had a glass of sherry and quite a lively conversation. After a short time we were
asked to move to the adjacent dining room where a table was set for six people.
TheEmperorandtheEmpress,myselfandChrista,andProf.BockaswellasProf.
Raven, the botanist from Missouri. The seating was very carefully arranged with
the Emperor and the Empress in the middle seat (three people sitting at each of