Emperor Akihito & Empress Michiko Current Events Part 4: May 2017 - April 2019


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Empress Michiko becomes honorary member of youth library in Munich - Kyodo News
The Imperial Household Agency said Friday Empress Michiko has become an honorary member of the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany following a request from the library.

The agency said it decided to transmit the library's request to the empress in view of her long-standing involvement with children's literature. She accepted the request "with surprise and pleasure," it said.

[...]

The empress will be the third honorary member of the library, following the late German author Erich Kaestner and the late Swedish author of children's literature Astrid Lindgren.
Full IHA press release at Empress Michiko to accept role as honorary member of Int'l Youth Library - The Mainichi
 
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the calligraphy exhibition "Yan Zhenqing and his Legacy" in Tokyo yesterday, February 20:


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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit Kyoto and Nara Prefectures March 25-28. Tentative agenda:

3/25: tea party for some 250 guests at Kyoto Imperial Palace for the emperor's 30-year reign
3/26: report abdication at Emperor Jimmu's mausoleum in Kashihara, Nara
3/27: tea party with Kansai IHA staff for 30-year reign and 60th wedding anniversary

Sources: Asahi, Sankei

ETA: Thomas Remengesau Jr., President of Palau will visit Japan March 7-12. During his stay, he will have luncheon with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Source: Jiji
 
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Thanks for the update!:flowers:
It is surreal to read about posts informing about Emperor Akihito's abdication procedures. One still wonders what prompted His Imperial Majesty to step down.
 
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a night court tea party to mark the Emperor's 30th enthronement and 60th wedding anniversary at the Imperial Palace today, March 5:


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:previous: The IHA hosted the evening tea party on March 5th. About 650 IHA staff attended, including employees from the Imperial Stock Farm in Tochigi Prefecture. Emperor Akihito thanked them for their work and continued efforts for succession.

Source: Sankei Imperial Weekly #581
On March 8th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the special exhibition celebrating the emperor's 30-year reign and their 60th wedding anniversary, titled "Tracing 30 Years Through the Poems of Their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress" at the Museum of the Imperial Collections.

AP Images

Tracing Their Majesties’ 30 Years Through the Poems of Their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress, The Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan
This exhibition commemorates the 30th Anniversary of His Majesty’s Enthronement and the 60th wedding anniversary of Their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress. The exhibition will introduce the Emperor’s poems, or Gyosei, and the Empress’s poems, or Miuta, composed for the Imperial New Year Poetry Reading Ceremony, or Utakai Hajime, since the enthronement. It will also show the photographs of scenes and events related to those Imperial Poems in an attempt to trace the course of the 30 years of Their Majesties the Emperor and the Empress. [...]
https://www.sankei.com/images/news/190308/lif1903080021-p1.jpg
 
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On March 9th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended a Kumi odori and Ryukyuan performance at the National Theater in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Both are traditional music and dance from Okinawa.

AP Images, Asahi
 
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko met Tommy E. Remengesau, President of the Republic of Palau and his wife at the Imperial Palace today, March 11:


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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko viewed the exhibiton "Cultural exchanges of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress: Sharing the Beauty of Japan" featuring artworks connected to the Imperial Family at the National Museum of Tokyo today, March 13:


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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the Medical Achievement Award ceremony at the Imperial Palace today, March 14:


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Today, March 15, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko watched the Martial Arts Special Tournament to mark the Emperor's 30th Anniversary of the Enthronement:


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Thanks eya!

Later on the 25th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted a tea party for guests from the Kansai region in celebration of the emperor's 30-year reign at Kyoto Imperial Palace. About 210 guests from 6 prefectures attended, including the governor of Hyōgo Prefecture and singer Fuyumi Sakamoto from Wakayama Prefecture.

Photos: Mainichi, Sankei, Getty Images
ETA: Imperial Couple hosts tea party in Kyoto to mark 30-year anniversary of enthronement - The Mainichi
[...] The Imperial Couple asked the governors about the progress of restoration work following natural disasters, according to attendees. Hyogo Gov. Toshizo Ido told reporters that the Emperor said to him, "Good work on restoration work (following the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake.)" The governor responded, "It was achieved thanks to Your Majesty's encouragement."

Fuyumi Sakamoto, a popular enka singer from Wakayama Prefecture, told reporters that she talked with the Empress about a famous NHK TV program that hosts amateur singers in a contest. Sakamoto said with tears in her eyes, "I was impressed to be told, 'Please sing good songs for the people.'" [...]
 
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A beautiful elegant couple. The Japanese people so love and respect them it appears. It must be very hard to abdicate but he knows it is better to hand over the empire to the next generation.

Does anyone know what the headpiece the Empreess is wearing is called? I looked real close and it is a netting but does not to be a hair net. Remember back in the 40’s there was a netting the ladies wore to ‘capture’ the longer hair? I wonder if this is something like it. The Empress’s seems to shimmer. I also noticed she is wearing a hearing aid. It appears that a wire goes under the hair and net. Or am I seeing things? I noticed this in the first video provided by Prisma.

Thank you for the pictures and videos Prisma. I will miss seeing this elegant couple.
 
Yeah, there is something in Empress Michiko's hair... I don't know what it is. Thought it was a super thin headband and attached to the bun in the back?

On March 27th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko admired the cherry blossoms at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden in the morning. They stayed about 30 minutes and spoke to other visitors.

Photos: Asahi, Mainichi
https://www.sankei.com/images/news/190327/lif1903270018-p1.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D2ovOBjUcAATl6L.jpg

 
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The Empress's hair appears to be gently back-combed to give some height towards the back of the top of the head and then tightly held at the nape of the neck using two hair grips just behind each ear.

Her hats seem to be held in place by a thin hairband and indeed maybe a thin hairband is used when not wearing a hat to keep the hairstyle neat.


https://i.pinimg.com/736x/16/74/eb/1674eb7fcba753da0de6fdded080dcbe.jpg
 
This user got great photos of the Imperial couple at Kyoto Gyoen National Garden.

Some JP tweets of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko departing for Tokyo on the morning of March 28. They will be Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita the next time they come to Kyoto to worship / report the abdication at the mausoleums of Emperor Meiji and Emperor Komei. [Mainichi]

https://twitter.com/tamucco/status/1111112768407523329
https://twitter.com/toukodou/status/1111094464980746242
https://twitter.com/1905mobydick/status/1111099630400360451

On March 27th, the Kansai IHA staff hosted a tea party for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to celebrate the emperor's 30-year reign and 60th wedding anniversary at Kyoto Imperial Palace in the evening.

Yomiuri gallery and included in Getty gallery above
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqG4NCpporc
 
On March 29th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Japanese Red Cross Society headquarters in Minato, Tokyo to see the exhibition "Heisei's Disasters and the Red Cross." The exhibit is another commemorative event for the emperor's 30-year reign and features photos, materials, and equipment used in JRCS activities' during the era.

Photos: Asahi, Mainichi, AP Images
https://www.jiji.com/news/photos/photo_news/images/658/0031021597.jpg
https://www.jiji.com/news/photos/photo_news/images/658/0031021609.jpg
 
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1 month until Emperor's abdication - News - NHK WORLD - English
[...]

From April 17, the Emperor and Empress Michiko will visit Mie Prefecture for three days. The Imperial couple will attend a ceremony preceding the abdication at Ise Shrine, where imperial ancestors are enshrined.

It will be their last regional visit as Emperor and Empress.

[...]

On the 26th, the Emperor and Empress will attend an award ceremony of the MIDORI Academic Prize, as the last official duty as Emperor and Empress outside the Imperial Palace.

[...]
On March 31st, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko had dinner at the home of their daughter Sayako and son-in-law Yoshiki Kuroda. They arrived at the Kurodas' apartment complex in Toshima Ward, Tokyo around 6pm and stayed about two and a half hours.

Photos: NHK, headlines.yahoo.co.jp, Getty Images
 
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Emperor Akihito cancels ritual attendance due to cough - Kyodo News+
Emperor Akihito canceled his attendance at rituals and other events scheduled for Wednesday after developing a cough the previous night, the Imperial Household Agency said.

The agency said the move was a precautionary measure. The rituals are unrelated to a series of ceremonies [for abdication...]

[...]

He was also scheduled in the afternoon to greet volunteers who clean the Imperial Palace, but Empress Michiko will attend the event alone and convey gratitude on the emperor's behalf, the agency said.

[...]
The April 3rd rituals are annual events for Emperor Jinmu's passing, Jinmu-Tenno-sai and Koreiden-mikagura.

Wishing Emperor Akihito a speedy recovery!
 
On April 4th, the IHA reported Emperor Akihito's cough has subsided and he returned to official duties. In the morning, he greeted volunteers.
Source: Sankei

In the afternoon, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko received President Juan Carlos Varela of Panama and his wife Lorena Castillo at the Imperial Residence.

Photos: Sankei Imperial Weekly #585, AP Images

Emperor's last meeting with foreign dignitaries - News - NHK WORLD - English
[...] Varela reportedly thanked the Emperor for his contribution to world peace and prosperity.

The Emperor reportedly responded that the most important point is that there was no war during the Heisei era. He added that it was because the Japanese people gave serious thought to the tragedy of war.

Thursday's meeting was the 354th in Japan for the Emperor with foreign dignitaries, and the final one before his abdication.

[...]
Retiring Japanese Emperor Holds Last Meeting with Foreign Leader | Nippon.com
[...] At the 30-minute meeting, which was also joined by Empress Michiko and Varela's wife, the Panamanian president said he was grateful from the bottom of his heart for the achievements Emperor Akihito has made for world peace and prosperity while on the throne.

Varela also said that he came to Japan this time to directly tell the Emperor that he will step down from the post of president in June. [...]
Emperor praises Heisei Era as a time when Japan enjoyed peace: The Asahi Shimbun
[...] Verala also extended his deep appreciation for having being blessed to have an audience with the imperial couple as the last foreign dignitaries ahead of Akihito’s planned abdication at the end of April [...]
ETA: On April 5th, Empress Michiko visited the 50th exhibition of 100 Contemporary Female Calligraphers at Takashimaya Nihonbashi department store in Chuo, Tokyo. This year's exhibit features 145 works; it's Empress Michiko's 11th visit since her time as crown princess.

Getty Images

https://www.sankei.com/images/news/190405/lif1904050020-p1.jpg
https://www.sankei.com/images/news/190405/lif1904050020-p2.jpg
 
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On April 5th, Emperor Akihito received credentials of new ambassadors to Japan from Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D3cwBZsU8AEoqEV.jpg
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Emperor Akihito welcomes envoys for last time - News - NHK WORLD - English
[…] It was the Emperor's 919th and last time to attend the ceremony.

The Emperor and the Empress will later welcome the ambassadors and their spouses at the Imperial residence.
Mainichi reports there's been about 950 ambassador credential presentation ceremonies during Emperor Akihito's reign. Crown Prince Naruhito attended when the emperor was traveling abroad.

Also on the 5th, Emperor Akihito attended the attestation ceremony of Takao Makino, the new deputy minister at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The previous minister Ichiro Tsukada abruptly resigned after a controversial statement that he had upgraded a road project as an unrequested favor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso.

https://www.jiji.com/news/photos/photo_news/images/658/0031089352.jpg

Emperor publishes thesis on gobies - News - NHK WORLD - English
[...]

The thesis, published on Friday in the online version of an ichthyology magazine, is on the crossbreeding of gobies in a pond at Kyoto Gyoen National Park in the ancient capital of Kyoto in western Japan. He has been working on the thesis with other researchers for about six years.

The paper is his 33rd on the fish and the last before his abdication on April 30.

[...]

Sample observation and DNA analysis in his latest study show the goby in the pond is the hybrid of two species -- one that is indigenous to Lake Biwa in western Japan, and another believed to have lived in the southern parts of Kyoto.

[...]
 
On April 7th, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko took a brief stroll outside the Imperial Palace to enjoy the cherry blossoms. They appeared from Kita-hanebashi-mon Gate near Kitanomaru Park around 7:10am and walked about 200m for 10 minutes before returning to the palace grounds via Inui-mon Gate.
Source: Jiji

Photos: Asahi, Sankei
 
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