During his visit to the United States and the Los Angeles area, the Emperor and his wife took a 40-mile motorcade journey to Disneyland where they were greeted by the most famous of the Walt Disney characters, Mickey Mouse. The Seven Dwarfs were close behind. The nearsighted Hirohito walked the Park with his unique, slight shuffle graze and maintained his solemn facial expression, but his wife broke into a broad smile often. The thousands of visitors to the Park that day were kept away from the official party during the 70-minute stop, during which Hirohito watched the elaborate America on Parade along Main Street, rode in a vintage automobile through Tomorrowland, and took a trip on the Disneyland Railroad making them the very first high-profile guests to ride in the new Lilly Belle Presidential Train Car.
The Emperor acquired a Mickey Mouse watch while at Disneyland that day and it became part of the lore that he wore it for years afterward. What interested the Emperor the most you might be wondering? Disneyland's diorama of primeval life in the Grand Canyon, depicting a variety of prehistoric animals - all of which seemed far more familiar to Hirohito, an avid natural scientist, than Disney's creations. Nonetheless, in this rare footage of the Emperor's 1975 visit to Disneyland, Hirohito can be seen cracking smiles and, while at times seems to be out of his element, appears to be truly enjoying himself in the happiest place on earth.
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