Imperial Family of Japan Current Events 2: June 2008 - April 2017


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It is always a pleasure to see Japanese Imperial family attending the annual garden parties. Mrs. Abe looked nice.
 
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It is always a pleasure to see Japanese Imperial family attending the annual garden parties. Mrs. Abe looked nice.

Thank you for the pictures but where is the Crown Princely family? Do Japanese members know why the crown prince appeared without his wife and daughter? I also did not see the little prince Hisahito....was this event perhaps held during school time so that the Imperial children of school-going age could not attend?:ohmy:
 
Crown Princess Masako does not attend the annual garden party due to her health condition. Princess Aiko, Princess Kako, and Prince Hisahito are too young to undertake any official engagements. When they reach appropriate age, they will be in attendance.
 
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Today, April 24, Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko and Crown Prince Naruhito welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama in Tokyo.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 ** Pic 7 **


In the evening a state dinner was held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (you can see several members of the family on pic 4) :



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** gettyimages gallery **


** bbc video: Obama meets Japanese Emperor Akihito at Imperial Palace **


** dailymail: World Super Tower: Obama dwarfs Japanese emperor as he charms Tokyo **
 
It is nice to see Japanese Imperial ladies attending the state dinner. Empress Michiko looked absolutely lovely in kimono.
 
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Obama for bidding a farewell prior to Obama's departure for South Korea today, April 25, 2014:


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 **
 
Empress Michiko's kimono is divinely beautiful.
 
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the 70th award ceremony of the Japan Art Academy Award and together with Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Mako hosted a tea party for the award winners at the Imperial Palace on July 1, 2014.


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** gettyimages gallery **
 
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On July 3 the Imperial Family attended a belated concert to celebrate Emperor's 80th birthday at the Imperial Palace.


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*Members of the Imperial Family hosted a tea party for this year’s recipients of the Order of Culture at the Imperial Palace today.*

It was so wonderful to see Princess Masako out so soon after the Dutch visit. She looked really wonderful in her winter white suit, hat and jewels. Hopefully this is a sign for the future that we will see more of her. Really admire this young lady.
 
*Members of the Imperial Family hosted a tea party for this year’s recipients of the Order of Culture at the Imperial Palace today.*

It was so wonderful to see Princess Masako out so soon after the Dutch visit. She looked really wonderful in her winter white suit, hat and jewels. Hopefully this is a sign for the future that we will see more of her. Really admire this young lady.

I agree 100%. CP Masako is a very elegant, dignified woman and it's delightful to see her seeming to very slowly emerge from her shell. I hope it's a sign of things to come..it's very sad seeing her husband attending weddings and other events abroad all by himself:sad:.
 
Masako was only one royal lady in a suit and hat. Empress and Princess Kiko both wore a traditional dress. So i have a question. Did Masako wear traditional dresses except on her wedding day?
 
Masako was only one royal lady in a suit and hat. Empress and Princess Kiko both wore a traditional dress. So i have a question. Did Masako wear traditional dresses except on her wedding day?


I noticed the same thing. Is wearing traditional dresses optional or are there events (except for weddings) where it's mandatory?

If she mostly wears western clothes I have a theory that since Masako spent large parts of her upbringing abroad she doesn't feel comfortable wearing traditional clothes?


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I am so happy to see C Princess attending this thea party. She is very elegant and I wish to see her now more often.
 
:previous: I found this picture at Getty: Emperor Akihito speaks while Empress Michiko Crown Prince Naruhito... News Photo 187081343 | Getty Images

That's a lovely suit, yes. I like the line of the skirt.


According to the caption the pic is from last year, taken on November 5, 2013.


But she did attend this year as well, wearing a slightly different hat ;)


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **


Today, November 6, the annual autumn garden party at the Akasaka Palace imperial garden in Tokyo has taken place:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 **
 
iceflower,
Thanks for updates!:flowers::flowers::flowers:
It is lovely to see Crown Princess Masako undertaking an official engagement. However, I wish she wore a kimono once.
Imperial Princesses in kimonos at the Annual Garden Party looked wonderful.
 
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It great to see the Imperial Family once again and I am pleased that Crown Princess Masako has attended too.
It is interesting that she is not wearing a kimono because if Court protocol required it, I am sure she would wear one. Maybe it's optional or personal choice.
I saw a very interesting programme the other day on NHK about traditional Japanese clothes and kimonos are very complicated to navigate round in terms of colour and material (much of which is orientated around the seasons). Even the way the obi is tied at the back will indicate status, formality and fashion choice. Kimonos are becoming a little more popular to wear on a day to day basis, particularly in the summer with light cotton ones designed using ancient patterns and worn with contrasting obis/sashes that have sometimes comical patterns.
The kimonos worn by the Imperial Princesses and the Empress will be of the highest quality and with the most symbolic patterns.
 
A couple of years ago the Empress wore traditional dress at a memorial ceremony, and I remember reading that it was for a very practical reason. It was after the Emperor's 2012 heart surgery, and the Empress decided that if the Emperor needed sudden assistance, she would be quicker on her feet to get to him in traditional dress, with flat shoes, than the heels she wears with western clothes. I have no idea where I read this, but it always stuck in my memory because, if true, it points to the care the Emperor and Empress take of each other.
 
A couple of years ago the Empress wore traditional dress at a memorial ceremony, and I remember reading that it was for a very practical reason. It was after the Emperor's 2012 heart surgery, and the Empress decided that if the Emperor needed sudden assistance, she would be quicker on her feet to get to him in traditional dress, with flat shoes, than the heels she wears with western clothes. I have no idea where I read this, but it always stuck in my memory because, if true, it points to the care the Emperor and Empress take of each other.

I am wondering if it might have been the other way round, Chubb Fuddler, and that the Empress wore western-style clothes for that particular ceremony. I only say this because the kimono (or so I have learned) is designed to deliberately restrict body movement in such a way as to forcing a straighter back and for the wearer to take smaller, more delicate steps when walking (the sandals -or Zori in Japanese - are rather like clogs or flip-flops, and assist in the idea of walking more delicately).
 
It great to see the Imperial Family once again and I am pleased that Crown Princess Masako has attended too.
It is interesting that she is not wearing a kimono because if Court protocol required it, I am sure she would wear one. Maybe it's optional or personal choice.
I saw a very interesting programme the other day on NHK about traditional Japanese clothes and kimonos are very complicated to navigate round in terms of colour and material (much of which is orientated around the seasons). Even the way the obi is tied at the back will indicate status, formality and fashion choice. Kimonos are becoming a little more popular to wear on a day to day basis, particularly in the summer with light cotton ones designed using ancient patterns and worn with contrasting obis/sashes that have sometimes comical patterns.
The kimonos worn by the Imperial Princesses and the Empress will be of the highest quality and with the most symbolic patterns.
Your observations are informative as usual. I venture an opinion that Crown Princess Masako is allowed to break the protocol and wear a European ensemble.
Kimonos worn by Empress Michiko are masterpieces.
 
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Your observations are informative as usual. I venture an opinion that Crown Princess Masako is allowed to break the protocol and wear to a European ensemble.
Kimonos worn by Empress Michiko are masterpieces.

Thanks Al_bina - I love the Japanese culture and watch a lot of the NHK channel, which is all in English!

With regard to Crown Princess Masako, much has been written negatively about her treatment inside the Imperial palace walls over the years and even suggestions that her status or role is being diminished somehow. But maybe you are right, perhaps allowances are being made to her personal tastes and wishes from time to time.
Either way, I detect a definite change in her wellbeing - we are seeing more and more of her and it is a great relief!
 
:previous:I also am hoping that good things are happening for her now, I have read that when the Empress married the Emperor that she also suffered from the hands of the IHA and had depression for many years. It is sad the way women in this family are treated if they obey the rules of the men in gray suits..........PM is such a dignified lady and I hope that soon she will be out at another event so we can see her smile, which is radiant. :)
 
:previous: I agree. She's a beautiful woman and seems very sympathetic when she's meeting people.
 
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