Princess Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda: November 15, 2005

[bigheadshirmp]

Wednesday May 18, 9:12 PM

LEAD: Princess Sayako, emperor's daughter, to wed Nov. 15

(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO)

Princess Sayako, Emperor Akihito's only daughter, will marry Tokyo metropolitan government employee Yoshiki Kuroda in a ceremony on Nov. 15, the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday.

The wedding ceremony will take place at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, in the presence of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, the agency said.

The princess, also known as Princess Nori, and Kuroda will hold a wedding ceremony in the style of Shinto, the native Japanese religion, according to their wishes.

The agency announced the engagement of the 36-year-old princess and Kuroda, 40, in late December but did not announce the date of the wedding ceremony. The couple were formally engaged in March through the traditional "Nosai no Gi" rite of betrothal, the first in a series of court ceremonies before the wedding ceremony

They have more rites to go thorough, including the "Choken no Gi" rite of audience, where the emperor and empress receive the princess's farewell greetings.

The princess will have to relinquish her royal title following the marriage with the commoner in accordance with the Imperial House Law.

It will be the first time in 45 years that a female member of a reigning emperor's family weds. She is the last among the emperor's three children to marry. The princess and Kuroda have known each other for years, as he is a childhood friend of Prince Akishino, one of her two older brothers.

 

[Elspeth]

There's been an announcement that the Emperor and Empress will attend the wedding. Apparently it's traditional that the Emperor doesn't attend the wedding of a daughter, but they're going to break with tradition. About time too!

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/emperor-to-attend-daughters-wedding/2005/07/05/1120329448354.html?from=moreStories

 

[Alexandria]

Tradition Reigns as Sayako Wedding Date Set

5 OCTOBER 2005

Princess Sayako of Japan continues to celebrate traditional wedding rites in the run-up to her nuptials as on Wednesday the Imperial Palace formally set the date for her big day.

At the ceremony it was officially announced the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will tie the knot with Tokyo government employee Yoshiki Kuroda on November 15.

Story continued at Hello!


http://imageshack.us/

 

[Gabriella]

I wonder why it's customary for the Emperor to not attend the wedding of a daughter? I'm glad that they are finally breaking with tradition!

 

[Smilla]

Does that quaker-style dress and hat of hers have any special traditional significance? It's so unusual, it really makes me wonder.

 

[mandyy]

#1: Yoshiki Kuroda, center, smiles as he arrives at the Imperial Hotel for his wedding ceremony with Princess Sayako in Tokyo, on Tuesday November 15, 2005. The 36-year-old only daughter of Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will marry Kuroda, a commoner who works at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, amid talks over introducing changes to the world's oldest monarchy. (AP Photo/Toshifumi KITAMURA, POOL)
#2: Forty-year-old urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda (C) smiles while arriving at the Imperial Hotel for his wedding ceremony with Princess Sayako November 15, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan. (Getty Images)
#3: Kyodo news - Leaving his residence at 8:30 am
#4: Yomiuri news -also leaving his residence
#5-6: Yoshiki Kuroda (L, in car) leaves for his wedding ceremony with Japan's Princess Sayako in Tokyo November 15, 2005. (Reuters)

video footage of Mr. Kuroda leaving his residence and arriving at the Imperial Hotel (TBS news)
http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000016-jnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
(FNN news) http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000526-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k

 

[Emily]

I am glad they are breaking with tradition in some of these things, also. Can this be read as the Princess quietly but insistently supporting some of the changes her brother, Naruhito, wants to bring about, however insignificant some of this may seem? I wondered if this might be subtle support for Naruhito and Masako. I am also curious what people might know about the groom? Is he from an upper crust Tokyo family? Do people know much about them as a couple? Should this be a very happy life for Nori despite no longer being a member of the Imperial Household? Their behaviors all seem so prescribed and stiff -- are they really or is that just the formal facade?

 

[Emily]

Also, what is the time for the wedding? Do they take a wedding trip?

 

[mandyy]

First photos of Princess Sayako in her gown going to the Imperial Hotel for the wedding ceremony.

#1: TBS news
#2,3: Yomiuri news
#4: AP-Princess Sayako of Japan bids farewell to members of the Imperial Household Agency as she heads for the Imperial Hotel for her wedding ceremony with Tokyo city bureaucrat Yoshiki Kuroda in Tokyo, on Tuesday November 15, 2005.
#5-6: AP Staff of the Imperial Household Agency applaud as they bid farewell to Princess Sayako in a limousine leaving the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005 for her wedding ceremony at a Tokyo hotel. Sayako, the only daughter and the youngest child of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, weds Yoshiki Kuroda, a Tokyo city bureaucrat, later in the day in a plush ceremony, giving up her royal title.
#7: FNN news
#8: Customers watch Princess Sayako shown on television at a electronics shop in tokyo, 15 November 2005. Sayako, who is also known as Princess Nori, will marry Yoshiki Kuroda, a 40-year-old urban planner for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in a Shinto-style ceremony at a specially built altar of the 118-year-old hotel. (Getty images)
(newest videos of Princess Sayako)
#9: FNN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000527-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#10: NNN News video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000023-nnn-soci-movie-000&media=wm300k

 

[purple_platinum]

hmm... so this is really a low-key wedding? she's not in a tiara?

2 more of Princess Sayako from polfoto :

 

[Humera]

I wonder if we'll see many foreign royal guests at this wedding.

 

[mandyy]

#1: Japanese Princess Sayako gets off the Imperial limousine upon her arrival at the a hotel for her wedding ceremony with 40-year-old urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in Tokyo, 15 November 2005. Princess Sayako, Japanese emperor's only daughter, was greeted by thousands of well-wishers Tuesday as she prepared to marry a commoner at age 36, and leave the world's oldest monarchy. (Getty images)
#2-3: AAP images-the crowd cheering for Princess Sayako on the streets
#4: Japanese Emperor Akihito (F) and Empress Michiko arrive at the Imperial hotel for Princess Sayako's wedding ceremony with 40-year-old urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in Tokyo, 15 November 2005. (Getty images)
#5-6: AAP images
#7-9: AFP images via getty images
#10: Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito (R) and Crown Princess Masako (L) arrive at the Imperial Hotel for Princess Sayako's wedding ceremony with 40-year-old urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in Tokyo, 15 November 2005. (FIRST PIC of PRINCESS MASAKO)

 

[Emily]

Oh, Mandyy and Humera -- thank you for the photos. I am fascinated with this monarchy and just loving every minute of this. I was wondering if her parents would witness the actual marriage and am glad to see that they will.

 

[mandyy]

Japanese princess leaves royal palace to marry

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20051114/Princess_Sayako_051114/20051114?hub=World

#1: Asahi news
#2: Newscom

 

[mandyy]

#1-2: AAP images
#3: AP
#4: Reuters
#5: Mainichi news
#6: NHK news (at the hotel)
#7-8: Reuters (photos with no watermarks)
#9: Japanese Prince Akishino (R) and Princess Kiko (L) arrive at the Imperial Hotel for Princess Sayako's wedding ceremony with 40-year-old urban planner Yoshiki Kuroda in Tokyo, 15 November 2005. (Getty images) (I think behind them are their daughters)
#10: Yomiuri news

 

[mandyy]

Photos of the crowd and the limo
#1-2: AP
#3-4: Getty images
#5-6: Yomiuri news

 

[Danielle]

Thank you everyone for the photos. I have been excited about this wedding for a while now. I really like Princess Sayako's dress, but I also think CP Masako's dress would have been nice as a wedding gown too. Well, at least from the photos it does. I'm so happy to see CP Masako again. I'm not too familiar with Japanese weddings; would someone be able to tell me what is the significance of the white gloves is? Are they removed at any time during the ceremony (for the exchanging of the rings, for example) and do they stay off once she is married?

 

[mandyy]

#1: Getty images
#2: Yomiuri news -Photo of Princess Sayako and Mr. Kuroda at the hotel entering the wedding cermonial hall
#3-5,9: Getty images
#6-7,10: Reuters
#8: AP

 

[Emily]

I wondered if they do exchange rings because I don't recall seeing CP Masako with one on? Also, is it OK protocol-wise for Masako to also have on white? It must be or I can't imagine she would do it but it surprised me.

 

[mandyy]

#1-2: TVBS news
#3-5: Various footages from TBS news
#3: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000031-jnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#4: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000032-jnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#5: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000033-jnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#6: AAP images- Japan's Princess Sayako (L) and her fiance Yoshiyuki Kuroda arrive at a room for their wedding ceremony at a Tokyo hotel in Tokyo, Tuesday 15 November 2005.
#7-10: Getty images
#8: People sign their best wishes in the visitor's books at the Imperial Palace for the wedding of Princess Sayako, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito, on November 15, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan.
#9-10: Imperial Police stand in line to see off Princess Sayako, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito, who is leaving for a Tokyo Hotel where her wedding ceremony will take place, at the Imperial Palace on November 15, 2005 in Tokyo, Japan.

 

[bigheadshirmp]

it's a really simply wedding dress....and no tiara for a princess?!!!!!

she's not wearing a lot of jewelerys.......

 

[bigheadshirmp]

btw...isn't the color "white" reserved for the bride on her wedding day? i think Masako should have choose another color for her dress....weird?????

 

[Emily]

www.weddingdetails.com/lore/asian.cfm
Danielle, I just found this article on Shinto wedding traditions. It may not be the most accurate since I am unfamiliar with all this, but it does give some interesting information -- including that they may exchange rings, which I didn't know.

 

[mandyy]

#1-2,7-8: AAP images
#3-5: AP
#6,9,10: Reuters

 

[mandyy]

#1-2: Video footages from FNN news
#1: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000528-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#2: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000529-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#3: AAP images
#4-6: JIJI press
#7-8: Larger photos from getty images
#9: ANN news
#10: NNN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000036-nnn-soci-movie-000&media=wm300k

 

[mandyy]

Japan princess weds, to start new life as commoner
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsarticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyid=2005-11-15T035303Z_01_MCC479050_RTRUKOC_0_UK-JAPAN-PRINCESS.xml

Thousands turn out as Japanese princess leaves for wedding
http://rds.yahoo.com/S=53720272/K=Princess+Sayako/v=2/SID=w/TID=N002_72/l=NSR/R=3/SIG=13f6abilm/EXP=1132114613/*-http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20051115/wl_asia_afp/afplifestylejapanroyalwedding_051115040845

 

[mandyy]

#1: JIJI press
#2: ANN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000025-ann-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#3-9: Large photos from Getty images
#10: NNN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000040-nnn-soci-movie-000&media=wm300k

 

[mandyy]

Photo album from Mainichi news

 

[mandyy]

2nd Photo album set from Mainichi news
#10: A Shinto-style wedding room where Japan's Princess Sayako married Tokyo government official Yoshiki Kuroda is seen at a Tokyo hotel in this handout photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan on November 15, 2005. Picture taken November 14, 2005.

 

[mandyy]

#1: Mainichi news
#2-6: Various video footages from FNN news
#2: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000531-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#3: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000541-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#4: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000542-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#5: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000539-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k
#6: http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo/news.asx?cid=20051115-00000540-fnn-soci-movie-001&media=wm300k