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Japanese Royals have not one but three causes for celebrations these days – birthdays of Prince Mikasa, Prince Akishino and Princess Aiko.

Prince Akishino celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday. To mark it, the IHA released a set of pictures of the Prince with his family. Prince Akishino gave an interview on the occasion of his birthday, where he expressed some interesting views on the Succession Laws as well as the general role of the Imperial Family in the country’s future. In particular, he said: “I think it might be necessary to listen to the opinions of the Crown Prince and other parties concerned’’.

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Princess Aiko, meanwhile, celebrated her 8th birthday on Tuesday. To commemorate the occasione, new pictures of the little Princess and her parents were released. Some new information was  also made available: Aiko’s interest include writing Kanji characters, calligraphy, poetry, gardening, playing piano and violin. Aiko, who is a second-year student at Gakushūin Primary School, is also a keen athlete; she took part in a relay race in October and was instrumental in helping her team win the competition. The Princess enjoys theatre and was given the role of a witch who realizes children’s wishes in a recent school play. Aiko is also trusted to take care of the class goldfish.

Prince Mikasa, the oldest living member of the Imperial Family, celebrates his 94th birthday today. The IHA released a statement congratulating the Prince. They also provided new information on the Prince’s health, which has deteriorated in recent years; just a month ago, Prince Mikasa was hospitalised with a minor cardiac arrest and a year ago, in June 2008, he was admitted to hospital after acute heart failure. The Prince is the only surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito.

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Marsel Japanese Royals Biography, Birthday, Prince Akishino, Prince Mikasa, Princess Aiko

Although she is better known for her love for gardening and pottery, Princess Aiko proved to be a promising sportswomen-in-making yesterday, after helping her team win a relay race.

As the last member of her team crossed the finish line well ahead of the others, Aiko and the other members of her team run into the field to celebrate their victory. Aiko was a key factor in the victory: she was running second to last and managed to gain a considerable lead, which secured the eventual victory.

The relay contest is an annual event of the Autumn Athletic Festival at the Gakushuin school, where Aiko is a student.

Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako were on hand for their daughter’s big day: seated next to other students’ parents, they couldn’t hide their wide smiles as Aiko confidentially crossed the finish line.

For more pictures and information, visit this thread.

Marsel Japanese Royals Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Princess Masako, Sport

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Tokyo’s Olympic bid committee will be soliciting help from Japan’s imperial royal family for its bid campaign that was launched last month by Prime Minister Taro Aso. The final decision about the Olympic host 2016 will be taken by the International Olympic Committee on October 2nd. Tokyo’s committee will make a formal request through the government for Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako to present the city’s bid on the day before.

The request of the Tokyo committee for support from the imperial family has been rendered necessary as rival cities can boast high profile public figures representing their case, including Barack Obama for Chicago and King Juan Carlos for Madrid. Within this context, Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako are probably the very members of the imperial family whose help might increase Tokyo´s chances the most. Ivan Hall, a former professor at the law faculty of Gakushuin University, has once said about the couple: “They are among the more open-minded, liberal people in the country today because of their education and the time they came to intellectual maturity. They represent a monarchy that the whole world can be comfortable with.” Read more…

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Olympics, Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Princess Masako

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 On Sunday, when the Shunyukai Symphony Orchestra performed Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in Tokyo, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan played the viola. (Article) This has been the sixth time for the prince to perform in the amateur orchestra, of which he is an honorary member. The prince who is known to be passionately fond of music also sometimes plays viola in the orchestra of Gakushuin University, his old school in Tokyo, as he did last December.

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But the crown prince is not only playing in public. Music is a very popular evening entertainment with the imperial family: Empress Michiko plays the harp or the piano, Emperor Akihito cello and Prince Naruhito viola. (Initially, Naruhito´s instrument had been the violin, but he later switched to the viola because the violin seemed to be “too much of a leader, too prominent” for the modest prince´s taste.) Friends of the imperial family use to make up the rest. And maybe some day the musical ensemble will receive another “imperial addition”: last year, the crown prince´s only child, Princess Aiko, started to take violin and piano lessons.

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Music, Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko

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 Last weekend, on a trip to the imperial ranch outside Tokyo, Princess Aiko, only daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, happily showed her new puppy, Yuri, to the public. Princess Aiko entered the second grade at Gakushuin Primary School this April.
Sometime this year, Mari, one of the two dogs of the crown prince´s family, died. The dogs Mari and Pippi had already been living for many years with the crown couple, before Aiko was even born. In 1995, a stray dog had been found on the grounds of the Togu Palace where the family lives: the mother of Pippi and Mari. The childless crown couple took care of the little puppies, as soon as they were born, and grew very fond of them. In summer 2003, when the crown princess was already fighting against a looming depression (at that time still unbeknownst to the public) she said that “living with our two dogs Pippi and Mari … has always calmed and rejuvenated my spirit.” The two dogs were treated just like beloved family members. Read more…

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Animals, Pets, Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Princess Masako

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Crown Prince Naruhito, his wife Crown Princess Masako and their daughter Princess Aiko arrived on March 24 at JR Nagano Station.

They will stay at a hotel in northern Nagano Prefecture for several days to enjoy skiing.

ChiaraC Japanese Royals Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Princess Masako, Vacation

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  15 February 2009: With happy faces Crown Princess Masako of Japan and her daughter Aiko welcomed their husband and father Naruhito back home from his trip to Vietnam.

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the countries, the heir to the Japanese throne visited Hanoi, Hue, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Giang. While in Ho Chi Minh City, Prince Naruhito visited a school where 211 Japanese primary and secondary pupils are enrolled, and the Vietnam-Japan Centre for Human Resource Training. For photos and a video of his trip, see this thread.

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ChiaraC Japanese Royals Prince Naruhito, Princess Aiko, Princess Masako