Princesses Mako and Kako and Prince Hisahito

[mandyy]

Originally Posted by Charlotte1

Aiko's cousin Princess Kako is a keen figure skater. There were photos released of her skating for either one of her birthdays or her father's. ( Akishino)

Yes, she has been in competitions before and she has won 1st place in one of her recent competitions last yr (I think). Kako has been learning figure skating since she was in gr. 2 and she has been a very hard working skater trying very hard to achieve improvements from her last competition (she fell and got the 9th or 10th place) and then won 1st place from her recent one.

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by Emily

Mandyy - It is interesting that many of the Japanese Imperial famly have names that end in 'o': Mako, Kako, Kiko, Akishino, Aiko, Masako, Naruhito, Sayako, etc. Is there a reason for that?

In Japanese 'ko' means child, women traditionally have been given names ending in 'ko' eg Masako, Michiko, Yuko, Sadako etc as it emphasised the need for females to remain child-like. ( Even into adulthood) Now-a-days it's not that common to give your daughter a name ending in 'ko' ( and therefore the underlining mentality to remain child-like) My friends' daughters are named Satomi, Aya, Kasumi, Naomi ( it's also a Japanese name) Ayaka, Narumi.

For the boys "hito" means man so it emphasised the idea that males were to be men from childhood. Again that's something that has changed with other male names being more common.

Aiko's name means 'love child' 'ai' is the Japanese word for love and 'ko' child.

[foiegrass]

How old are the girls?

[mandyy]

Originally Posted by foiegrass

How old are the girls?

The eldest daughter of Prince and Princess Akishino, Princess Mako was born on Oct. 23, 1991 and their 2nd daughter Princess Kako was born on Dec. 29, 1994.

[mandyy]

Photos of Princess Kako from previous skating competitions
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/194693-post56.html

[GrandDuchess]

Originally Posted by Charlotte1

In Japanese 'ko' means child, women traditionally have been given names ending in 'ko' eg Masako, Michiko, Yuko, Sadako etc as it emphasised the need for females to remain child-like. ( Even into adulthood) Now-a-days it's not that common to give your daughter a name ending in 'ko' ( and therefore the underlining mentality to remain child-like) My friends' daughters are named Satomi, Aya, Kasumi, Naomi ( it's also a Japanese name) Ayaka, Narumi.

For the boys "hito" means man so it emphasised the idea that males were to be men from childhood. Again that's something that has changed with other male names being more common.

Aiko's name means 'love child' 'ai' is the Japanese word for love and 'ko' child.

Thank you Charlotte1 for this insight, it's great to learn this! Quite a fascinating background really.

[Elspeth]

I suppose the trend away from giving girls the -ko suffix is (from a western viewpoint) a healthy one at any rate. It says a lot for a society that women are so identified with children rather than adults. The woman's kimono also has a lot more im common with the child's kimono than the man's one does and even, in some respects, has more in common with the child's kimono than it does with the man's kimono.

[Gloriana]

I do love the meaning of Aiko's name, though. It implies that she was created (and born) in love.

[merampo]

Prince Akishino and Princess Mako attended a event.(2006-3-8)

[corazon]

the girls ever look sad , I don't know why but I see them sad eyes.

[Elinha]

It is truth... I also noticedthe Mako's eyes, I do not know if she is like this , shy and closed personality or if she is was always sad. But I choose the first one because there are moments when she is happy, I think she is just like this. Kako is different and more livened up than the sister, in my opinnion.

[merampo]

Prince Akishino and Peincess Mako went to The National Theatre Okinawa .
pics:from FNN news

[merampo]

Originally Posted by merampo

Prince Akishino and Peincess Mako went to The National Theatre Okinawa .
pics:from FNN news

Other pics
1:from http://www.worldtimes.co.jp/j/okinawa/ph060325.html
2,3:from NTV

[Vanesa]

Japanese Imperial Family is just beatiful. I like it very much. Prince Akishino seems a very good man and their daughters are really darlings.

I can remember very well when The Emperor and the Empress visited Buenos Aires (my country). I went near the Japanese Gardens (it's a place of our city that is made showing a Japanese garden with a Japanese restaurant and a Tea House in it) where Their Majesties were welcomed by Argentinian authorities, and I became a great fan of this Imperial House. Here in Argentina we have a huge Japanese community.

Vanesa.

[mandyy]

Figure skating booms in Japan after Olympic gold
............The royal-watching Japanese public had also developed an elegant image of figure skating in April 2005 by watching then 10-year-old Princess Kako, a granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, win a junior competition in Tokyo.........
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060402...n_060402040446

[mandyy]

A video from youtube.com of Princess Mako and her father at a beach during vacation in May of 1995. (You can also hear little Mako's voice and her dad calling her name)


Below are some screen caps made from the video

[monica17]

That was so endearing! I wish I could understand what she was saying... I especially liked the part when Princess Mako was waving. :)

[mandyy]

Photos of Mako from http://www.yuko2ch.net/

[mandyy]

More photos from http://www.yuko2ch.net/

[mandyy]

http://www.yuko2ch.net/ photos