Arrival Ceremony 

Crowds of American and Japanese individuals arrived early in the morning on Tuesday, April 28, to pass the security gauntlet and find the perfect spot for the Arrival Ceremony of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and First Lady Akie Abe. While hundreds were invited, not everyone made it onto the South Lawn, with a number of hopeful attendees turned away at the gates after waiting an hour to 90 minutes in line. Welcoming visiting heads of Government with a military Arrival Ceremony held on the South Lawn of the White House has been a tradition since the Kennedy Administration.

The Golden Ticket

The Arrival Ceremony included a 19 Gun Salute; performances of the National Anthem of Japan and the National Anthem of the United States; Review of the Troops; and speeches by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe. Media coverage of the event includes video by C-SPAN.

 Members of the U.S. military were dressed in their uniforms. Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the lucky attendees snapped photos of the White House and South Lawn on their cameras and phones.

The parade of American and Japanese flagbearers in front of the fountain, with the Washington Monument in the background, was a stirring visual as the State Visit commenced.