Questions & Information About The Imperial Family of Japan

[Prisma]

FOCUS: Mental health issues show women bear brunt of Japan monarchy system - Kyodo News

The diagnosis of former princess Mako's post-traumatic stress disorder prior to her controversial marriage in October has once again highlighted the intense pressure that women in the Japanese imperial family face, with some other members also plagued by mental health issues.

The former princess, 30, who is a niece of Emperor Naruhito, came under massive public scrutiny after it became known that the family of her commoner husband Kei Komuro was involved in a financial dispute.

Her aunt Empress Masako, 58, has long been battling a stress-induced illness related to the pressure she was under to produce a male heir, while former Empress Michiko, 87, the emperor's mother, became unable to speak for months amid bashing by weekly magazines following her husband's accession to the throne in 1989.

[...]

"It is as if there are no human rights (within the imperial family)," said clinical psychologist Sayoko Nobuta.

[...]

Regarding his daughter's mental health, Crown Prince Fumihito, the emperor's brother, stressed on the occasion of his 56th birthday in November the need to establish "criteria to refute" erroneous reports.

While the agency has exposed fake news in the past, debunking some reports on its website since 2007, it does not have a clear policy on how to handle such matters.

"Even if (former princess Mako) was told to ignore or not engage with online bashing, one can't help but notice it in their daily life, and it will chip away at one's heart before they know it," said Rika Kayama, a psychiatrist and commentator on social issues.

[... Recap of Empress Michiko and Crown Princess Masako's mental health struggles ...]

"The emperor is the symbol of Japan, and the monarchy is a symbol of patriarchy. Therefore, discrimination against women is most pronounced in the imperial family," Nobuta said, adding that such an environment makes it difficult for bright women to survive.

Nobuta said that former princess Mako, who grew up watching these events and had studied at International Christian University in Tokyo as well as in Britain, must have felt the only way to truly live her life was to leave Japan.

"For former princess Mako, escaping was her main goal, and I think she chose Komuro as the man who could help her achieve this goal," Nobuta said.

[...]

All eyes are now on Princess Aiko, who turned 20 in December and is now expected to perform official duties as an adult member of the imperial family.

[...]

In the past, Princess Aiko has sparked concerns and speculation among the public for her prolonged absence from school and a sharp weight loss at one point, but it remains to be seen if the mental health issues that befell the female relatives before her will repeat themselves.

Hajime Sebata, an associate professor of modern Japanese history at Ryukoku University, said that building rapport with citizens through communication, not counterarguments, is key.

"If (the agency) regularly posts (information on royals) on social media and communicates, the public will come to trust the imperial family even if there are criticisms," he said.

 

[Prisma]

Royal Ties Underpin New Anglo-Japanese Alliance | Nippon.com

British Archives Reveal Royal Friendship
[...]

Britain and Japan are both island nations ruled as constitutional monarchies, and their respective royal families have enjoyed a relationship for around 150 years. I contacted the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle to inquire about any records they had regarding this special friendship. The archives hold files from King George VI’s personal secretary that include telegrams sent by the king to Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Shōwa, in 1940–41 to congratulate him on 2,600 years of Japan’s imperial line and on the marriage of Prince Mikasa, as well as a message of condolence on the death of the emperor’s aunt Masako, Princess Tsune. Telegraphic replies from Emperor Hirohito to King George were also displayed, confirming the close relationship between the two emperors.

New displays at the Royal Archives include:

• A draft of a telegram from King George to Emperor Hirohito congratulating him on the 2,600th anniversary of the imperial line on February 11, 1940, and a reply from the emperor to the king on February 12, 1940.
• A draft of a telegram from King George to Emperor Hirohito conveying condolences on the death of Her Imperial Highness Princess Masako, the sixth daughter of Emperor Meiji and wife to Prince Takeda Tsunehisa, on March 9, 1940, and the emperor’s reply of gratitude on March 11, 1940.
• A draft of a telegram from King George congratulating the emperor on the wedding of Takahito, Prince Mikasa, on October 22, 1941, and the emperor’s reply on that same day.

[...]

Showing the Value of Family Bonds
The connections between Britain’s royalty and the Japanese imperial household began in 1869, when Queen Victoria’s second son Prince Alfred visited Japan. Apart from one period during the war Japan’s imperial family members have looked to Britain’s royalty for hints on how to comport themselves ever since.

This friendship reached its peak during the reign of Emperor Shōwa. In 1921, when he was still crown prince, he became the first member of the imperial family to visit Britain. He left Yokohama on March 3 aboard the British-built warship Katori for a tour of five European nations. He returned six months later. His first, and longest, tour was of Britain. As it was only three years after the end of World War I, he made sure to visit the graves on Malta (then controlled by Britain) of Japanese sailors who died in a German attack in the Mediterranean Sea, as well.

At the time, King George V, Queen Elizabeth’s grandfather, was 55, while the crown prince turned 20 during his trip. The King took a paternal liking to the crown prince and offered him generous hospitality as they rode in the same carriage in a welcoming parade. During that trip, Crown Prince Hirohito learned the importance and warmth of family bonds from the modern royal family, as symbols of connection to their subjects. In 1979, while at the Imperial Villa in Nasu, the emperor reminisced that “The things I heard from King George V about constitutional monarchy’s nature became the root of my thinking for the rest of my life.”

[...]

In 1953, the year after Japan’s sovereignty was restored, Crown Prince Akihito made his first international visit to attend the crowning of Queen Elizabeth. The crown prince, who had learned the history of the British empire from Harold Nicholson’s biography of George V, was treated as a guest of honor by Prime Minister Winston Churchill. At a welcome luncheon, which included the owners of a popular newspaper that had once published anti-Japanese sentiments, the Japanese guest’s unpretentious personality made an impression on the British attendees, and relations between Japan and Britain began to improve.

In 1971, when Emperor Hirohito paid another visit to Britain 50 years after his first trip there as crown prince, royal family member Lord Mountbatten abstained from attending the official state banquet. Mountbatten had been Supreme Allied Commander in the Southeast Pacific Theater and had lost men in battle against Japan. Queen Elizabeth, though, eased the tension, saying, “We cannot pretend that the relations between our two peoples have always been peaceful and friendly. However, it is precisely this experience which should make us all the more determined never to let it happen again.” The Queen maintained a close relationship with the imperial family, and needless to say, was warmly welcomed in Japan on her first visit as a state guest in 1975.

In 1998, in conjunction with a visit to Britain by Emperor Akihito, Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryūtarō wrote an article in the UK newspaper The Sun expressing his deep remorse and heartfelt apologies, and the British government decided to offer special benefits to former Japanese POWs. Former British Ambassador to Japan David Warren has indicated that the 1998 visit played an important role in that step toward reconciliation.

[...]

 

[Blog Real]

I found information about Japanese imperial rituals:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Imperial_Rituals

 

[Prisma]

Exhibit showcasing U.K.-Japan royal relationship opens in London - Kyodo News

[...]

Objects on show include samurai armor and weaponry, lacquerware and ceramics. Viewed together, they trace the history of exchanges between the two courts -- from the first formal contact between Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and King James I in the 1610s to gifts received by current monarch Queen Elizabeth II.

Among the exhibition's highlights is a set of silk screens given to Queen Victoria by Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi in 1860. The screens were previously thought to be lost and their provenance was only recently rediscovered by curators.

Research showed that the screens formed part of a grand gift to mark the resumption of direct relations between the two countries following Japan's 250-year "sakoku" policy of isolation from the outside world.

Another gift on display is a lacquerware cosmetics box sent by Emperor Hirohito, who has become posthumously known as the Emperor Showa, to Queen Elizabeth II to mark her coronation in 1953.

[...]

Also featured are letters and photographs detailing deepening ties between the two countries during the second half of the 19th century.

Among them is a letter from Prince Alfred to his mother, Queen Victoria, reflecting on his 1869 visit to Japan -- the first by a British royal -- and praising the Asian country's "beautiful landscape."

The exhibition was set to open in 2020 but postponed for almost two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. Peat said she was "delighted" to be able to welcome visitors at last.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

FEATURE: Poems by Emperor Meiji now in English after over 30 yrs of work - Kyodo News

English-language readers are now able to appreciate 100 classical poems by Emperor Meiji (1852-1912) thanks to over 30 years of translation work by Harold Wright, a U.S. scholar of Japanese literature who was a student of the late Japanologist Donald Keene.

The collection of poems in "Bridge on the Shikishima Way," released last month in Japan, brings to life the feelings of an emperor who lived in an era when tradition and modernity intersected, with Japan transforming from a feudal state during his reign.

"Emperor Meiji was not only a thoughtful emperor to his people, but also a gifted poet...(who) felt deeply that the world should live in peace with deepened feelings of international understanding," said Wright, who is now a professor emeritus of Japanese language and literature at Antioch College in Ohio in the United States.

[...]

One particular poem lamenting the outbreak of war between Japan and Russia in 1904 is said to have moved then U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, who led the signing of the Treaty of Portsmouth that formally ended the Russo-Japanese war the following year.

It was our belief
that all the world's oceans
were born of one mother,
so why do the winds and waves
now rise up in angry rage?

[...]

Wright extensively researched Japanese history, culture and religion in the process, striving to remain faithful to each poem's original rhythm while maintaining a balance between meaning and imagery in a way consistent with the foundations of English poetry.

Each poem took several months, and in some cases even up to a year, to translate, with Wright repeatedly reading aloud both the original Japanese and English translation when finished to check its cadence.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

Reiwa 5 (2023) Imperial family calendar

https://www.kikuyou.or.jp/hanpu/calender.html

Again, the only new photo is the Akishino family.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Thank you for the update. At least it is quite a nice-looking cover.

Fantastic news about the Emperor Meiji's poems becoming available in English. I appreciate the article's explanation of a delicate and intellectually consuming mission it is to translate between two languages and cultures as divergent as English and Japanese:

Wright extensively researched Japanese history, culture and religion in the process, striving to remain faithful to each poem's original rhythm while maintaining a balance between meaning and imagery in a way consistent with the foundations of English poetry.

Each poem took several months, and in some cases even up to a year, to translate, with Wright repeatedly reading aloud both the original Japanese and English translation when finished to check its cadence.

I never knew President (Theodore) Roosevelt read Emperor Meiji's poetry.

 

[Prisma]

Members of the imperial family hooked on heroes of manga, anime | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

While much of the lives of Japan’s imperial family take place behind closed doors, members occasionally dish details to a select few on their personal interests, such as which manga and anime they adore.

In January, Kazuyuki Tsuruma, a professor emeritus at Gakushuin University, accompanied Princess Akiko to brief her on exhibits associated with ancient China at a special exhibition at the Ueno Royal Museum in Tokyo.

He told reporters that Akiko, 41, is a die-hard fan of “Kingdom,” a manga series set in China’s Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods (770 to 221 B.C.).

Akiko, the eldest daughter of the late Prince Tomohito, has read all 67 volumes of the popular manga and seen all live-action feature film adaptations, according to Tsuruma, a longtime acquaintance of the princess.

[...]


The princess appeared thrilled when she met Yasuhisa Hara, the creator of “Kingdom,” in person, according to Tsuruma.

[...]

During an autumn garden party held at the Akasaka Imperial Garden in Tokyo in 2013, Emperor Naruhito, then crown prince, told cartoonist Tetsuya Chiba that he had read the boxing manga “Ashita no Joe” (Tomorrow’s Joe), Chiba’s representative work.

When Chiba asked him if members of the imperial family read manga, Naruhito said, “All of us do.”

[...]

Naruhito, 63, was also known as an avid reader of “Thermae Romae,” a manga about a bathhouse architect in ancient Rome who travels through time to modern-day Japan.

[...]

Princess Kako, 28, also said during an official duty that she had read popular manga titles such as “Detective Conan” and “Magic Kaito,” which features a high school student who loves magic tricks.

Another day, the second daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito had a lively conversation with children about “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” a successful manga series with animated TV and feature film adaptations.

 

[Prisma]

The family tree as of April 2023.
- updated headshots of Emperor Naruhito's family, Crown Princess Kiko and Prince Hisahito



I don't know if the IHA updated in 2022 but see post 147 for some old versions.

 

[Prisma]

Imperial bonbonnière were included in Gakushuin University Archives special exhibition on the origins of Japanese school uniforms, open until June 3.

Princess Aiko's coming-of-age bonbonnière is a rounded rectangular silver box (4cm long x 6cm wide x 2.8cm high) with her personal emblem "Goyo Azalea" and the chrysanthemum crest.

Bonbonnière for the 88th birthdays of the Emeritus couple are also exhibited. The design shows ears of rice facing each other and their personal emblems written inside the lid "white birch" and "Ei"

Source: NTV

Imperial reporter and researcher Noriko Tsuge wrote for Yahoo News: it was unclear Princess Aiko’s coming-of-age would have bonbonnière due to the pandemic reducing celebrations (no tea party, dinner, etc.).

Bonbonnière are limited anyway since they’re gifted at celebratory occasions, rarely seen by the general public. About 2,500 were made for Emperor Naruhito's enthronement banquets. Bonbonnière from private celebrations are even fewer. It is thought only 50-100 were made for Princess Aiko's coming of age and one was specifically borrowed for the exhibition.

 

[Prisma]

On April 20th, former Princess Masako of Mikasa attended the Prime Minister's Award ceremony for her father-in-law Sen Genshitsu (age 100), the 15th-generation Iemoto (Grand Master) of the Urasenke school of tea. He received the award for his 50+ year contributions to peace diplomacy by way of chado.

Awarding of the Prime Minister’s Award to Dr. SEN Genshitsu (Statement by Foreign Minister HAYASHI Yoshimasa) | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

For over half a century, Dr. Sen has been introducing Japanese culture, focusing on chado (way of tea; commonly referred to as the Japanese tea ceremony in English), and its spirituality to the world. In addition, he has devoted himself to spreading peace around the world through international cultural exchanges by way of chado, and as Japan-United Nations (UN) Goodwill Ambassador, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and others.

The decision was made to award Dr. Sen in recognition of his achievements, which have contributed to the promotion of the key Japanese policy of peace diplomacy. I would like to express my deepest respect to Dr. Sen for his longstanding contributions.

 

[Prisma]

Makiko Sakata (former Mikasa princess Masako Sen's daughter) is Honorary President of the Urasenke Midorikai Alumni Association.

From March 1, 2020: Introducing Ms. Makiko Sakata - Urasenke Midorikai Alumni Association

[...]

Ms. Sakata serves on the Board of Directors of Konnichian’s Urasenke Foundation in Kyoto. As such she plays an important role in the many activities and programs that Urasenke Konnichian offers within Japan and internationally. In 2015 she participated in the opening events of the Japan Pavilion for Expo Milano. Later that same year Ms. Sakata led a program at the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. More recently she headed the Introduction to Chado program in the United Arab Emirates in 2017. Ms. Sakata also acts as a Visiting Professor at the Kyoto Notre Dame University.

The Urasenke Midorikai Alumni Association is honored that Ms. Sakata has consented to become the Honorary President of UMAA at her father Zabosai Oiemoto sama’s suggestion.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

On August 5th, former Mikasa princess Masako Sen and her family attended 100th anniversary memorial services for the 13th Iemoto of Urasenke school of Tea Ceremony, Ennōsai aka Tetchū Sōshitsu (1872-1924). About 120 people attended the ceremonies at Daitokuji Jukoin Temple in Kyoto.

Ennosai became Iemoto (head/grand master) at age 18 during the Meiji period, when traditional Japanese culture was hit hard. He endeavored to modernize the tea ceremony by popularizing it in Tokyo and incorporating it into school education.

15th-Iemoto Genshitsu at age 100 is grateful to commemorate his grandfather's 100th death anniversary.

Current, 16th-Iemoto Sōshitsu Sen (Zabōsai) noted he was born in the year of the monkey, same as his great-grandfather. Zabōsai pointed to lessons from his ancestor amid the pandemic. An epidemic happened at the end of the Meiji era and people avoided tea ceremonies. Ennosai advocated serving one tea bowl per person. Zabōsai "wants to carefully protect and hand down the tea ceremony."

Photos: Urasenke, Sankei

 

[Prisma]

Reiwa 6 (2024) Calendar released on September 29

https://www.kikuyou.or.jp/hanpu/calender.html



https://txbiz.tv-tokyo.co.jp/hiru/news/post_282931

TV Tokyo notes there's still no group photo of the Emperor, Emeritus and Akishino families. Price remains unchanged at 1,000 yen for the wall calendar but the publisher, Kikuyou Cultural Association, says they may be forced to increase the price in 2025 due to increase in paper cost. The Imperial family calendar is a popular product with about 100,000 copies sold each year.

Akishino family photo for July/August is new and I think the Emeritus couple's photo for March/April is new as well. Why isn't any photos of Emperor Naruhito's family new?

 

[Prisma]

The Museum of the Imperial Collections (Sannomaru Shozokan) will be partially reopened on November 3. It has been under renovation since October 2019 and closed since December 2021. Management transferred from Imperial Household Agency to the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage.

The museum opened in 1993 to store and exhibit donations to the state, including possessions from Emperor Showa. The collection has grown to 9,800 items due to Empress Kojun's belongings and more donations from Imperial family, exceeding 1.5 times the old facility's capacity. A new building will be added and while admission was free before, the expanded museum will charge fees: 1,000 yen for adults and 500 yen for university students (free for high school students and under, and those over 70 years old) and require reservations.

Photos/source: Jiji

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The 75th Annual Exhibition of Shōsō-in Treasures opened on October 28 at Nara National Mueum

 

[Prisma]

Hisashi Hashimoto of FNN comments on memorable quotes or highlights from Imperial family in 2023.

Empress Masako from 60th birthday statement:
- moving forward with new mindset and continued efforts. how quickly 10 years have passed since her 50th birthday
- Hashimoto notes 10 years ago in April, then-Crown Princess Masako attended the Dutch Inauguration, beginning a steady recovery. She attended the coronation in Tonga in 2015 and expanded her activities since, gaining more confidence with family support.

Crown Princess Kiko’s speech at the 100th Anniversary of the Japanese Society for Tuberculosis and Nontuberculosis Mycobacterial Diseases in June
- she mentioned the special feature on “Easy Japanese” in the Japan Nursing Association’s magazine, where even foreigners who live in Japan and fluent enough for daily life have difficulty understanding Japanese in medical settings. Important to clearly say "you" and simplify difficult words. "Easy Japanese" is also useful when communicating with people with disabilities.
- Hashimoto felt "easy Japanese" is relevant for those in the media, like himself, as well.

Princess Hisako spoke about “English is just a tool” during the 75th All Japan Junior High School English Speech Contest in November:
- "English is just a tool for communication, and for those of you who have acquired that tool, or want to use it, or want to become better. I think it's very important to have that tool, but what you say at that time is even more important.It's more important than pronunciation.What you say.In order to do that, you need to maintain intellectual curiosity. I would like people to think of it as a tool that allows them to learn about Japan properly and directly express their thoughts to others in their own words."
- Hashimoto considers Hisako's support for international exchange, friendships that transcend national borders.

Emperor Naruhito birthday press conference in February:
- "I am deeply grateful to Masako for spending more than half of her life with me in the imperial family since we got married when she was 29 and a half years old.'' About Aiko, His Majesty said, "She always warms up the atmosphere at home with fun topics and makes our lives peaceful and fun."
- Hashimoto understand how His Majesty values his family

Crown Prince Akishino's birthday press conference in November:
- drew attention for his frankness about feeling restless and "quite sluggish"

Princess Kako's speech at Girls Messe 2023 in October:
- wishes for gender equality

Princess Nobuko's English speech at the FAWA Asian Federation conference
- mutual understanding and solidarity among women in the Asian region

Princess Akiko’s speech at 100th anniversary of Turkey’s founding reception in December:
- demonstrated her deep knowledge of Turkey and its relationship with Japan

Princess Yohko at the Inclusive Design Ideathon 2023 in September:
- collaboration between people with disabilities and young designers for ideas, products and open expression of opinions

Source/photos: FNN

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The Imperial Household is finishing "Spring Decorations," traditional bonsai arrangements for the entrances of Imperial residences and IHA building. They will be displayed from December 30 to January 4. Some large pots are over 2 meters in height and plum trees are over 150 years old. The gardening division created 23 pots this year.

Photos/sources: Sankei, FNN, TBS, NTV

 

[doro]

I think that Aiko should wear the other tiaras of former princesses

 

[Prisma]

Former Princess Yori, Emperor Emeritus Akihito’s elder sister and Emperor Naruhito’s aunt Atsuko Ikeda (93) has adopted CEO of Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings Inc., Motohiro Nozu (52) and his wife. Atsuko married Takamasa Ikeda in 1952 and the couple settled in Okayama and later opened Ikeda Zoo. She became the zoo’s director following her husband’s death in 2012.

Atsuko and the former Motohiro Nozu have a long standing relationship through Nippon Kabaya Ohayo's support of the zoo, which has faced financial difficulties over the years. The adoption agreement between Atsuko and the Nozu couple was concluded in March 2023 and the adoption was communicated in writing to relevant parties in March 2024. Motohiro changed his last name to Ikeda.

Regarding the adoption, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings said, "As this is a private matter, we will refrain from commenting." The company is also headquartered in Okayama.

Sources: KSB, NHK, OHK

Ikeda Motohiro's CEO message at NIPPON KABAYA OHAYO HOLDINGS INC.

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Weekly magazine Daily Shincho reports on the adoption and background:

• Ikeda family been in existence for 16 generations but doesn't have an heir.
• Atsuko was looking to adopt from among her relatives in the Ikeda family, but had trouble finding someone so Motohiro Nozu was chosen instead.
• Although Motohiro is the eldest son of the Nozu family, he has ambitions and often said "I want a title." His mother (deceased), was elder sister to the current head of the Sho family of the Ryukyu Dynasty.
• The Sho family is well-established old nobility but he might not be able to join Kasumi Kaikan, the social club for members of the former nobility.
• Anyone other than the head of the family is not allowed to join, and other strict conditions are said to apply.
• At one point, Motohiro was even trying to be adopted by his uncle, the head of the Sho family, in his quest to join the Kasumi Kaikan.
• Some 10 years ago, Atsuko consulted with her nephew Naotake Takatsukasa about adopting someone to succeed the Ikeda family which is ~400 years old. The importance was placed on the survival of the family. Takatsukasa advised adopting a relative. "It would be troublesome if we adopted someone with whom we have little ties."
• Takatsukasa learned of Motohiro Nozu's adoption when he visited Atsuko in fall 2023.
• Atsuko's home is within the zoo and lives with the help of a maid.
• In January, park/zoo officials say she is in good spirits despite weak legs and knees. About five years ago, Atsuko would walk to the mailbox to pick up the newspaper, but now she doesn't even attend regular board meetings.
• Motohiro visited Takatsukasa, who is chairman of Kasumi Kaikan and himself adopted by Atsuko's sister Kazuko (former Princess Taka), in February or March 2024.
• However, the adoption does not solve the Ikeda family's survival because Motohiro and his wife have no children.

 

[Prisma]

Emperor Naruhito's family cat Mii passed away on August 3. A cat and her 4 kittens were rescued at Akasaka Estate around May 2010. The family adopted Mii (named by Princess Aiko) and the mother cat. Aiko's friends adopted the other 3 kittens. When the mother cat passed away in 2016, the family adopted another rescue cat, Seven, later that September.

Source: NTV

On June 6th, the Imperial Household Agency released photos of the Imperial cats: NTV
Empress Masako brought these photos to show to a guest at the spring garden party.

Japan Imperial Family's rescue cat Mii passes away - The Mainichi

[...] Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko watched over the feline as it made its peaceful journey, the aide said.

[...]

Referring to the Emperor's family, the aide said, "They are very saddened. Princess Aiko, in particular, had provided care (for Mii) since she was a small child, so I gather she is very sad."

Japanese Imperial Family Cat Dies | Nippon

[...] Mii was a male brown mackerel tabby cat who was adopted by the Imperial family in May 2010 at the former Togu Palace in Tokyo, currently the residence of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. The cat was found to have a progressive illness this May.

The family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of warm sentiment toward Mii, according to the agency.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Condolences to Princess Aiko; it is sweet of the Imperial Household Agency and the Crown Princess to share photos of the cats.

Former Princess Yori, Emperor Emeritus Akihito’s elder sister and Emperor Naruhito’s aunt Atsuko Ikeda (93) has adopted CEO of Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings Inc., Motohiro Nozu (52) and his wife. Atsuko married Takamasa Ikeda in 1952 and the couple settled in Okayama and later opened Ikeda Zoo. She became the zoo’s director following her husband’s death in 2012.

Atsuko and the former Motohiro Nozu have a long standing relationship through Nippon Kabaya Ohayo's support of the zoo, which has faced financial difficulties over the years. The adoption agreement between Atsuko and the Nozu couple was concluded in March 2023 and the adoption was communicated in writing to relevant parties in March 2024. Motohiro changed his last name to Ikeda.

Regarding the adoption, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings said, "As this is a private matter, we will refrain from commenting." The company is also headquartered in Okayama.

Sources: KSB, NHK, OHK

Ikeda Motohiro's CEO message at NIPPON KABAYA OHAYO HOLDINGS INC.

-----

Weekly magazine Daily Shincho reports on the adoption and background:

• Ikeda family been in existence for 16 generations but doesn't have an heir.
• Atsuko was looking to adopt from among her relatives in the Ikeda family, but had trouble finding someone so Motohiro Nozu was chosen instead.
• Although Motohiro is the eldest son of the Nozu family, he has ambitions and often said "I want a title." His mother (deceased), was elder sister to the current head of the Sho family of the Ryukyu Dynasty.
• The Sho family is well-established old nobility but he might not be able to join Kasumi Kaikan, the social club for members of the former nobility.
• Anyone other than the head of the family is not allowed to join, and other strict conditions are said to apply.
• At one point, Motohiro was even trying to be adopted by his uncle, the head of the Sho family, in his quest to join the Kasumi Kaikan.
• Some 10 years ago, Atsuko consulted with her nephew Naotake Takatsukasa about adopting someone to succeed the Ikeda family which is ~400 years old. The importance was placed on the survival of the family. Takatsukasa advised adopting a relative. "It would be troublesome if we adopted someone with whom we have little ties."
• Takatsukasa learned of Motohiro Nozu's adoption when he visited Atsuko in fall 2023.
• Atsuko's home is within the zoo and lives with the help of a maid.
• In January, park/zoo officials say she is in good spirits despite weak legs and knees. About five years ago, Atsuko would walk to the mailbox to pick up the newspaper, but now she doesn't even attend regular board meetings.
• Motohiro visited Takatsukasa, who is chairman of Kasumi Kaikan and himself adopted by Atsuko's sister Kazuko (former Princess Taka), in February or March 2024.
• However, the adoption does not solve the Ikeda family's survival because Motohiro and his wife have no children.

Thank you for the translation! It is lovely to learn about the lives of the ex-princesses who became commoners after the war, and interesting to read about the juxtaposition of new (I assume running zoos is very much not a traditional royal occupation, but it sounds fascinating) and old (close ties to ex-noble families) in Atsuko Ikeda's post-royal life.

Daily Shincho obviously presents Atsuko's new son as a social climber taking advantage of a frail old lady. Assuming the report is accurate, it does sound as if Motohiro was proud of his blue blood and eager to reach the peak of high society, but he is hardly alone in that (there are countless examples discussed on this forum of people who are extremely invested in their royal or noble status or connections and the privileges they can derive from it), and it does not necessarily mean the adoption is not aboveboard. According to Daily Shincho's own reporting, Atsuko could not find a willing relative to adopt, and to me it makes sense that she would choose a longtime friend/acquaintance who has generously supported her life's work over the years and who has a similar background to her as part of the formerly noble upper class.

 

[Prisma]

Akifumi Kikuchi, eldest son of former Princess Masako of Mikasa and Sōshitsu Sen XVI of Urasenke tea ceremony, died suddenly on August 20, 2024 at age 39 due to acute respiratory failure caused by pneumonia.

The funeral was held only with close family. The family announcement "express our deepest gratitude for the kindness shown to the deceased during his lifetime and would like to inform you of his passing. We would also like to ask that you please refrain from sending condolence money, condolence telegrams, flowers, offerings, or other such gifts."

Source: urasenke.or.jp

Akifumi Kikuchi had a Twitter/X account myeongsa_chori where his partner Hatta Misato also shared the sad news and further details. The wake and funeral were held as a Sen family funeral (Misato attended as well), and a memorial service will be held at a later date. She ended the message with "Thank you so much to everyone who loved Chori, who wanted to be loved more than anyone else. I hope you will continue to keep him alive in your memories and words."

Akifumi was born on November 10, 1984 and began his work as a poet in 1999 when he was a junior high school student, winning the "1st Poetics Best Newcomer Award" and other awards. In addition to writing short stories for literary magazine Subaru, writing for newspapers, holding workshops and giving lectures, appearing in variety shows and TV programs, he also performed with rock band CreepHyp and formed a band with Nakamura Kaho, among other musical activities.

His main publications include the poetry collection "chori" (Seigensha, 2006) and "Nishimuku Samurai: The Twelve Months of Poet Chori's Kyoto" (Takeda Random House Japan, 2011). He worked across genres, performing in Europe as part of a unit with Kyogen performer Shigeyama Doji (now Shigeyama Sennojo III) and appeared in the historical drama "Taira no Kiyomori." Although his unusual lineage has given rise to various speculations, Akifumi changed his surname to Kikuchi as a branch family member of the Urasenke school, rather than inheriting the position.

At the of time his death, Akifumi was working on a project to celebrate his 40th birthday and 25th anniversary as a poet. His latest album "Chori View" will be to be released on November 20 as planned.

Sources: Sankei, motion-gallery.net, news.yahoo.co.jp, Mainichi

natalie.mu included photos of Akifumi performing and album jacket image

The last Tweet Akifumi Kikuchi posted himself on August 16 JST read (translated), "I've been in bed since yesterday due to poor health, so my response to work-related communications will be slower for a while..."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1824301301137862983

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Condolences to his family, partner and friends.

 

[Prisma]

Imperial family as of April 2024.

• updated headshots Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Kako and Prince Hisahito

 

[Somebody]

Do all Japanese first names end in 'o' or is that only the case within the imperial family?

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Do all Japanese first names end in 'o' or is that only the case within the imperial family?

Only in the imperial family. It is a centuries-old royal naming tradition wherein all names of sons end in the word 仁, pronounced "hito" and translating roughly to "benevolence", and all names of daughters end in the word 子, pronounced "ko" and translating to "child".

Both words also figure in the names of ordinary people, and girls' names ending in 子 were popularized to the point where most women of a certain age had such names (so it is not particularly surprising that the commoner-born wives' names all follow the pattern). But the popularity of the 子 suffix has waned, so there is quite a good chance that Hisahito's future wife will be the odd one out without a 子 name.

A note for those not aware: In Japanese, two names with identical pronunciations are frequently written using different characters, and in some cases two names written using identical characters may be pronounced differently.

 

[Prinsara]

Do all Japanese first names end in 'o' or is that only the case within the imperial family?

The post just above the latest imperial update gives the fate of the son of a Mikasa princess (Masako) whose name was Akifumi.

Many, many Japanese names don’t end in -o or a syllable ending in -o, but as TM explained, it’s both fairly ancient tradition in the IJF and not much in favor in current naming trends, so likely to change at some point.

 

[Prisma]

Reiwa 7 (2025) Calendar

皇室御一家（皇室カレンダー）｜頒布品｜公益財団法人菊葉文化協会

公益財団法人菊葉文化協会は皇室御一家（皇室カレンダー）を製作・頒布しております。壁掛式のほか、卓上カレンダーや壁掛式用の化粧箱もご用意しております。お気軽にご用命ください。

www.kikuyou.or.jp

July/August's Akishino family photo is new... and March/April's Emeritus couple should be new.