TREATS!

Although a bit of kibble suits us just fine when we've been "good girls," we see enough TV to know that humans thrill to various accolades for their achievements.   They even enjoy inedible ones, often involving statues and getting really dressed up (which we can't fathom can be more satisfying than kibble) and sometimes red carpet is involved (now THERE'S a temptation!), but this week in Japan it was the ORDER OF CULTURE (文化勲章, bunka kunshō).

This year, among the six recipients of this high honor, Chihuahua Mom was thrilled to see Professor Donald Keene.  It seems that CM has many of Mr. Keene's books of Japanese literature in translation--she has even read a few of them--and he is a big hero to her for making Japanese literature and culture more accessible in her native English.

On TV we saw Mr. Keene dressed up in a suit with long coat tails, meeting the Emperor and the other awardees, accepting his award.  According to Wikipedia, "the order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature or culture; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life. The order is conferred by the Emperor of Japan in person on Culture Day (November 3) each year.

The badge of the order, which is in gold with white enamel, is in the form of an mandarin orange blossom; the central disc bears three crescent-shaped jades (magatama). The badge is suspended on a gold and enamel wreath of mandarin orange leaves and fruit, which is in turn suspended on a purple ribbon worn around the neck.

The order ranks between the Order of the Sacred Treasures, First Class and the Order of the Rising Sun, Double Rays (second class)."

We know Chihuahua Mom has a big secret--she's now hoping that her other major culture-bridging hero, Donald Richie, will be similarly recognized in the near future...  We have our kibble waiting!