Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda: November 15, 2005

[MoonlightRhapsody]

I am glad that the princess has found someone that makes her happy.

But I don't understand something, so maybe someone can assist me. (please)

She was born a princess, from a royal family -- she is still the daughter of an Emperor.

This man is just a regular person, a commoner -- why is she walking behind him always and crouched over like so with her head tucked down?

Is this sort of thing in the future waiting for an Empress (meaning the daughter of the CP couple)?

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=213450&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1132044893

I think that wives walk a few paces behind their husbands as protocol. Plus, since Sayako married a commoner, she was considered a commoner from the moment she said her vows (or exhanged sake, I'm not sure how the process goes). She may be princess born, but she is no longer considered a part of the royal family (the succession-wise, she's still the Emperor's daughter).

As for if Aiko becomes Empress, I don't think she'll have to walk a few paces behind her husband seeing that she would be the reigning Empress and her husband would probably have the title of Prince.

 

[Emily]

I wish we had someone from Japan who could tell us more about this wedding. I, too, have been fascinated with the cultural differences. Someone on the GREMB, who must be familiar with Japanese culture, said that although Sayako's facial expressions might seem like nothing to some, that she was actually expressing great happiness! I certainly wouldn't have known that. She looked very pleasant but I couldn't have told more than that. One thing I have thought about, though, is protocol dictates that European consorts walk a step behind their (monarch) spouse and the same with crown princely couples, so that part is not so uniquely Japanese. What I don't know is if the Japanese female walks more paces behind a partner and if that is done in the society of commoners as well as royalty. Can anyone shed light on this?

 

[saphills]

It's an old tradition, but nowadays, specially young couples don't do that anymore.

 

[saphills]

I forgot to tell you...they used to do that not only in ceremonies, even in the streets you may still find old couples walking like that.

 

[bigheadshirmp]

that's quite normal in old days in asia...not only japan....also in china and korea...women have to walk a few steps behind her husband

 

[bigheadshirmp]

from yahoo.jp

pic shown here is when the name of princess sayako is removed from the royal palace's book that record all the royal births ...etc..

taken on nov 16, 5:05pm....

 

[assia]

That's crual isn't it ? As if she hasn't been part of that family for 36 years !!!

 

[fanletizia]

That's crual isn't it ? As if she hasn't been part of that family for 36 years !!!

I agree with you. Naruhito also married a commoner and he is still part of the imperial family

 

[pollyemma]

I agree with you. Naruhito also married a commoner and he is still part of the imperial family

yeah, its really unfair. but i'm sure she'll still retain a loving bond with her family.

i'm sure that when the succession laws are changed, this practice will be altered as well.

 

[purple_platinum]

is that Akishino & Kiko's daughter behind with a sailor uniform? is that Mako or Kako?

 

[galuhcandrakirana]

is that Akishino & Kiko's daughter behind with a sailor uniform? is that Mako or Kako?

I think she is their second daughter, I just found a picture of the couple and their daughters http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=190667&d=1126057551

 

[mandyy]

May 'Little Miss Don't Mind' be always happy

Tokyo woke up to a jolt of icy chill Tuesday morning. The temperature had fallen so, my fingertips felt almost numb as I stepped out. Inside a car that glided through the crisp morning air, making serene progress through central Tokyo, a white-gloved hand waved delicately, again and again....
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200511170142.html

 

[Incas]

That's crual isn't it ? As if she hasn't been part of that family for 36 years !!!

In Western cultures, wives traditionally takes on their husbands' family name. Sayako is now officially part of Kuroda family now. It's just tradition, not cruelty.

i'm sure that when the succession laws are changed, this practice will be altered as well.

The changes will have to address what family name the Empress will take on if she was married as well. Such as the debate in BRF forum whether Queen Elizabeth II should really be a Windsor or a Mountbatten. The difference here is that Japan is more of a male dominant society than the English society. While it is advantageous for any man to marry Princess Aiko, it will be an interesting test to see if his ego would put up with taking her family name or walking three paces behind her, that is if she becomes Empress.

 

[princess olga]

Fascinating wedding in a fascinating family!

Ever since the Americans "convinced" the Japanese royal family in the late fourties that they are not gods after all (and as the child of a woman whose entire family had to endure the horrors of being locked up in a Japanese war camp in Indonesia, a Dutch colony at the time, I can certainly agree with that), the Japanese royals have been modest to a fault!

Their post WW2 modesty is charming, but really, did they have to organize one of the wedding events in that ugly hotel?? Even us 'commoners' do better than that!

By the way, I still can't decide what to think of the bride's Western style wedding attire. Whether it's elegant simplicity, or just plain boring.. (come to think of it, it reminds me a bit of Aimee's dress). I did like her Japanese-style dress a lot.

And as for Masako: I agree with the posters who suggested she shouldn't have worn white: it upstaged the bride!

 

[mandyy]

Dolls of newlyweds Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda released in Japan
An employee for Japanese traditional doll maker Mataro Doll Craft displays kawaribina or newsmakers dolls for this year, featuring dolls of the recently wed Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda, during a press preview at the company's showroom in Tokyo.

#1: Kyodo news
#2: Mainichi news
#3: AFP

 

[mandyy]

I don't think the hotel is ugly. Maybe it's ugly when you look at the outside view but in fact the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo is quite famous and one of the top ones in Tokyo.

Here is their hotel website
http://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/index_e.htmlhttp://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/cgi-bin/imperial_hp/index_e.cgi?ac1=ET&ac2=&Page=hpd_view

 

[Lillia]

May 'Little Miss Don't Mind' be always happy

Tokyo woke up to a jolt of icy chill Tuesday morning. The temperature had fallen so, my fingertips felt almost numb as I stepped out. Inside a car that glided through the crisp morning air, making serene progress through central Tokyo, a white-gloved hand waved delicately, again and again....
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200511170142.html

I hope she will be happy too.

I hope she gets all that her heart wants.

 

[princess olga]

I don't think the hotel is ugly. Maybe it's ugly when you look at the outside view but in fact the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo is quite famous and one of the top ones in Tokyo.

Here is their hotel website
http://www.imperialhotel.co.jp/index_e.html

well, maybe 'ugly' isn't the right word indeed. But what I mean is that the venue seems a bit unromantic for a wedding to me, top hotel or not. It seems more the kind of place one visits for conferences and stuff, not for an imperial wedding!

 

[bigheadshirmp]

well..it's not decorated as a romantic and grand wedding venule....very plain and rather business like for me...perhaps it's their tradition...or because it's a princess who will lose her royal title after marriage wedding....so it's not as grand as the crown prince's wedding

 

[fraxales]

Misguided?

Fascinating wedding in a fascinating family!

Ever since the Americans "convinced" the Japanese royal family in the late fourties that they are not gods after all (and as the child of a woman whose entire family had to endure the horrors of being locked up in a Japanese war camp in Indonesia, a Dutch colony at the time, I can certainly agree with that), the Japanese royals have been modest to a fault!

Their post WW2 modesty is charming, but really, did they have to organize one of the wedding events in that ugly hotel?? Even us 'commoners' do better than that!

By the way, I still can't decide what to think of the bride's Western style wedding attire. Whether it's elegant simplicity, or just plain boring.. (come to think of it, it reminds me a bit of Aimee's dress). I did like her Japanese-style dress a lot.

And as for Masako: I agree with the posters who suggested she shouldn't have worn white: it upstaged the bride!

As I recall, the Americans did not "convince" the Imperial family of anything - there was much that was dictated by the "powers that be" (and still continues, somewhat, to this day) behind the throne and much that the Emperor did not really have a say in, despite what we think.

And on another point, if we stopped seeing things through western eyes, we'd understand the Japanese (and other cultures, for that matter) much better: things like overindulgence/oppulence are not their "cup of tea", if you'll pardon the pun, and that goes for their attire as well. I think the problem with CP Masako's dress was not that it was white (which I doubt bothered the Japanese as it is worn quite often for formal events), but that it was....."busy"!

 

[fraxales]

well..it's not decorated as a romantic and grand wedding venule....very plain and rather business like for me...perhaps it's their tradition...or because it's a princess who will lose her royal title after marriage wedding....so it's not as grand as the crown prince's wedding

Like I stated in my previous comment, they are not in the habit of having gaudy ribbons and baubles strung up everywhere - I for one admire them for their formal, effective simplicity. And we forget that she was - strictly speaking - already a commoner, so an Imperial wedding on the Crown Prince's scale would be out of the question.

 

[princess olga]

As I recall, the Americans did not "convince" the Imperial family of anything - there was much that was dictated by the "powers that be" (and still continues, somewhat, to this day) behind the throne and much that the Emperor did not really have a say in, despite what we think.

Fraxales, you are right about those "powers that be" behind the throne: but that said, it was, in the end, the decision of the Emperor to call the whole thing (that pesky war) a day. That's a fact. And it is also true that officially, the War as fought by the Japanese was done in the Emperor's name, whether or not that was plotted by the "powers behind the throne". And last, let's face it, without the Americans and their threat to 'visit' Japan with a couple more big bombs after Nagasaki and Hiroshima, those "powers" behind the emperor wouldn 't have been very convinced to stop the war, now would they?

And on another point, if we stopped seeing things through western eyes, we'd understand the Japanese (and other cultures, for that matter) much better: things like overindulgence/oppulence are not their "cup of tea", if you'll pardon the pun, and that goes for their attire as well.

Ok fine, except that I was commenting on the one very aspect of the various wedding celebrations that <was> a western-style element: that event in the hotel in which the bride dressed in traditionally western attire! Why on the planet can I or anyone than <not> compare it to other <western> nuptial events?!
By the way, I am myself part Asian and have lived on the Asian continent.
And yes it's true that on one hand, Japanese have a thing for simplicity.

But on the other hand, one thing the (young) Japanese are also famous for is taking Western culture and giving it their own, outragous, overindulgent spin! If you've ever encountered Japanese teenagers with their sometimes outrageous sense of dressing, you know what I mean!

 

[ews]

I think its sad she's giving up her job just "to be a housewife". i mean god it was only part time job and she was into research and birds, whats the big deal if she still does that.

ugh it slike masako allover again in a reverse way - giving up everything and obliterating her personality.

 

[galuhcandrakirana]

I just found this.


Japanese Princess a Fan of Castle of Cagliostro

Japanese tabloid Hochi Shimbun reports that Princess Sayako's wedding dress was inspired by the dress worn by Lady Clarisse de Cagliostro at the end of Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro.

The dress was created for the princess by a designer that regularly works for the Japanese empress. It is said to be almost identical to the dress from Cagliostro.

Princess Sayako, 37, the youngest child of Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, married Yoshiki Kuroda, an employee of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, on Tuesday morning at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. Having married a commoner, Sayako has relinquished her imperial title and is now simply "Sayako Kuroda." Sayako will be moving from the imperial palace to a one-bedroom apartment in Tokyo.

Sayako was the first imperial daughter to marry a commoner since Princess Takako, her aunt, married a commoner in 1960.

According to her friends, Sayako was a fan of Hayao Miyazaki and Castle of Cagliostro and admired Princess Clarisse. One such friend showed the press a picture that Sayako had drawn of Princess Clarisse in the wedding dress.

source: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=7826

 

[ropura]

Camera's , photographers and japanese public waiting at the front of '' Imperial Hotel '' for Princess Nori and Imperial Family at Nov.15 2005 Tokyo-Japan.


Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[ropura]

Here She Come? Princess Sayako.
Go to the Imperial Hotel.

Photo nr.4 : from ''sankei shimbun.
Photo nr.5 : from ''mainichi shimbun.

Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[ropura]

The Imperial Family.

Photo nr.1 : Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako
Photo nr.2 : Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko
Photo nr 3: from ( Sankei Shimbun ).
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.


Photo by R.Ismangil.

 

[iowabelle]

I wonder how much assistance the Empress could provide her daughter in becoming "common" since the Empress has been so cloistered for decades.

It seems that someone like Masako would have been of more practical use in this task.

 

[iowabelle]

Beautiful posts, thank you so much
please DON'T tell me she has to trail 3 steps behind this guy for the rest of her life. what is that about, shouldn't they have entered the room together. Former princess aside, common courtesy for a man to escort a lady

But we have to remember, they are not following European or American tradition. The Japanese have their own etiquette.

I find some of their practices curious, but perhaps it's just because this was an unusual wedding in that princesses haven't married out of the Royal Family since the 1960s. Could you imagine Charles and Diana, or God forbid, Charles and Camilla having a press conference directly after their marriage ceremony? (Or the Danes or the Spaniards?)

I also noticed that the Empress didn't wear a tiara or a hat. You almost always see her with a tiny hat. And in European royal weddings everybody wears tiaras, hats, or at least headpieces. I wonder what the reason for that is.

 

[ropura]

Japanese people sign a congratution for Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda wedding at the front of Imperial
Household Agency ( Kunaicho ).Tokyo.



Photo by R.Ismangil.