Report on the conferment ceremony for Emeritus Professor Alan Spence’s Order of the Rising Sun Award

On Friday 29th June, an Order of the Rising Sun was conferred on Emeritus Professor Alan Spence in a ceremony at the official residence of the Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh.
The Order of the Rising Sun was given by the Government of Japan on 29th June in recognition of Professor Alan Spence’s longstanding achievements in deepening international exchange—both through his promotion of Haiku within the UK, as well as through his novels, which promote a greater awareness of Japanese culture.
The Order was conferred in the presence of family and friends and those influenced by Professor Spence’s achievements. Consul General Matsunaga detailed Professor Spence’s achievements and conferred the award.
Afterwards, Professor Spence gave a speech thanking his family and friends for their support over the years and treated everyone to reading of a selection of his poems.
The ceremony was followed by a reception where everybody was able to celebrate Professor Spence’s achievement with him.
In addition to the ceremony, Professor Spence gifted a golden plaque to the Consul General to accompany a rose they planted together in October of last year at the official residence garden. Guests of Professor Spence took time to admire the newly decorated rose and enjoyed a stroll around the official residence’s garden together.

For more information on recipients of awards in spring 2018, please see the links below (Japanese text).

http://www8.cao.go.jp/shokun/hatsurei/30haru/meibo_gaikokujinjokun.html