The Mikasa Family Thread


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
From the Japan Nursery Rhyme Society website, they preserve nursery rhymes from previous eras for future generations and encourage new nursery rhymes. It seems the Meiji era saw an increase in nursery rhymes, promoted by the Ministry of Education with contributions from authors and artists. Besides helping children's emotional education and artistry/creativity, the rhymes are important culturally and historically. The society celebrated it's 100th anniversary last year and from the earlier tweet, it seems Princess Nobuko is honorary president (?).
 
Thank you for explaining, it sounds like a wonderful cause to be associated with. Clearly Princess Akiko is not the only Mikasa family member to have an interest in both children, and the preservation of Japan's cultural heritage for those children.
 
[...] From July 27-29th, Princess Akiko's cultural organization Shinyusha hosted a kids camp at Izumo Taisha Shrine in Izumo, Shimane Prefecture.
July 27: opening ceremony, indigo dye workshop, prayers
July 28: local scouts joined the camp, museum, ancient burial mounds and houses, and shrines connected to Izumo

Photos:
Shinyusha added July 29th's activities: the group purified themselves at Yakumo Falls within the grounds of Izumo Taisha shrine and attended the closing ceremony.

Photos:
 
From February 19-21, Princess Akiko attended the Chichibunomiya 92nd All Japan Student Ski Championships at Nozawaonsen in Nagano Prefecture.

Photo: https://ameblo.jp/skicomp1947 blog
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECmuH8UVAAA9rRT.jpg

On August 19th, the IHA announced Princess Yoko resigned as president of International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) on July 31 because the importance and awareness for universal design has been recognized and the role has been completed.
Source: Sankei Imperial Weekly #604
 
On August 9th, Princess Akiko's cultural organization Shinyusha hosted a paper flower workshop at Kogakkan University in Ise, Mie Prefecture. The flowers will be dedicated at an imperial festival at Iwashimizu Hachimangū Shrine in Kyoto Prefecture in September. She also visited the Sagawa Memorial Shinto Museum at Kogakkan University.

Photos:
 
On August 19th, the IHA announced Princess Yoko resigned as president of International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) on July 31 because the importance and awareness for universal design has been recognized and the role has been completed.
Source: Sankei Imperial Weekly #604

That is an interesting explanation for a resignation. Isn't universal design a term for accommodating designs to users with physical disabilities? I would imagine that Japan, as with any other country, has the capacity for further progression on that score, but that its importance existed before the JIF's patronage, so I wonder what benchmark was set (and achieved) for Princess Yoko's presidency.
 
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Princess Nobuko attended the 2019 Tokyo World Judo Championships Art Exhibition at the Kodokan in Tokyo today, August 24:



** Pic **
 
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On July 1st, Princess Nobuko attended the Patent Attorney System 120th anniversary ceremony at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo.
Photos: https://www.jpaa.or.jp/120th_anniversary/120th_anniversary_report/

On August 5th, Princess Akiko of Mikasa gave a lecture about Japanese culture at the general meeting of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto.
Photo: https://www.jinja.co.jp/news/news_010829.html
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EC4Bo3fU4AAiHi9.jpg

On August 11th, Princess Akiko attended the 2019 World Rowing Junior Championships at Sea Forest Waterway in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay.
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/JapanRowing/photos/pcb.2557593757596323/2557590774263288/?type=3&theater

On August 29th, Princess Nobuko met young judoka from the Kodokan on Day 5 of the 2019 World Judo Championships in Tokyo.
Photos: Kodokan kids take centre stage at the Nippon Budokan / IJF.org
“It was a pleasure for them to meet Her Imperial Highness and IJF Ambassador Princess Tomohito of Mikasa who was very happy to meet the children.”

[...]

“I liked shaking hands with Princess Tomohito, she was very kind.”
 
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On September 8th, Princess Nobuko fell at her residence in the evening. She still had pain the next morning and was admitted to Keio University Hospital where she was diagnosed with a first lumbar vertebra fracture. No surgery is needed but she'll be hospitalized for 1-2 weeks with complete recovery expected in 3 months. Her public service scheduled for September has been cancelled. Princess Nobuko wants to attend enthronement events next month.

Sources: Jiji, news24.jp, NHK

Wishing Princess Nobuko a speedy recovery. I hope she prioritizes her health over the enthronement.

On September 2nd, Princess Akiko attended the inauguration of Nobuhiro Nishitakatsuji as 40th chief priest of Dazaifu Tenmangu Shine at Hotel Nikko Fukuoka in Fukuoka Prefecture.

Photo:
 
On September 8th, Princess Nobuko fell at her residence in the evening. She still had pain the next morning and was admitted to Keio University Hospital where she was diagnosed with a first lumbar vertebra fracture. No surgery is needed but she'll be hospitalized for 1-2 weeks with complete recovery expected in 3 months. Her public service scheduled for September has been cancelled. Princess Nobuko wants to attend enthronement events next month.

Sources: Jiji, news24.jp, NHK

Wishing Princess Nobuko a speedy recovery. I hope she prioritizes her health over the enthronement.

Poor Princess Nobuko. I hope her health will permit her to attend the enthronement if that is what she desires. Hopefully the Empress Emerita will also have fully recovered by that time as I'm sure she would at least enjoy following the ceremonies on television.


On July 1st, Princess Nobuko attended the Patent Attorney System 120th anniversary ceremony at Hotel New Otani in Tokyo.
Photos: https://www.jpaa.or.jp/120th_anniversary/120th_anniversary_report/

I attempted to find more information on the Patent Attorney System but failed; that aside, it is a benefit of having an imperial family that they can draw attention to (apparently) easily missed events such as this.
 
I'm so sorry to hear about Princess Nobuko's fall and spinal fracture, and wish her a speedy and complication free recovery.

Considering the weight of the junihitoe that is worn for the enthronement, I am extremely skeptical about whether participating in the enthronement is going to be possible for Princess Nobuko. Whatever decision is made, I hope that she isn't pressured to do, or chooses to do, anything that will affect her long term health.
 
Princess Akiko will visit the UK October 2-7 for events related to The British Museum, where an exhibition of treasures is on loan from Nara's temples and shrines.
Source: Sankei

More about the exhibition: https://www.visitnara.jp/lists-and-stories/story/nara-faith-and-renewal/
From October to November, the British Museum will display around 20 works from some of Nara's most prominent temples and shrines, many of which are designated as National Treasures and Important Cultural Assets.

Date: 3rd October-24th November, 2019
Princess Akiko contributed to the Kyoto Costume Institute's 11th issue of "Clothing" magazine (November 2018)
Photos: https://www.neki.co.jp/works/429/

ETA: Princess Akiko was invited by the Japan-British Society to give a special lecture on "English Tea and Japanese Tea" at the International House of Japan on October 30th.
The Society is honoured that HIH Princess Akiko of Mikasa has accepted an invitation to give a lecture on “English Tea and Japanese Tea”.
https://www.japanbritishsociety.or.jp/en/events/special-lecture-by-hih-princess-akiko-of-mikasa/
 
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Princess Akiko will visit the UK October 2-7 for events related to The British Museum, where an exhibition of treasures is on loan from Nara's temples and shrines.
Source: Sankei

More about the exhibition: https://www.visitnara.jp/lists-and-stories/story/nara-faith-and-renewal/

Princess Akiko contributed to the Kyoto Costume Institute's 11th issue of "Clothing" magazine (November 2018)
Photos: https://www.neki.co.jp/works/429/

ETA: Princess Akiko was invited by the Japan-British Society to give a special lecture on "English Tea and Japanese Tea" at the International House of Japan on October 30th.

https://www.japanbritishsociety.or.jp/en/events/special-lecture-by-hih-princess-akiko-of-mikasa/

Princess Akiko really is a fount of knowledge, isn't she?

I'm so sorry to hear about Princess Nobuko's fall and spinal fracture, and wish her a speedy and complication free recovery.

Considering the weight of the junihitoe that is worn for the enthronement, I am extremely skeptical about whether participating in the enthronement is going to be possible for Princess Nobuko. Whatever decision is made, I hope that she isn't pressured to do, or chooses to do, anything that will affect her long term health.

That's a point I hadn't thought of. Would it be possible to adapt the junihitoe to be lighter and less cumbersome?
 
Princess Akiko really is a fount of knowledge, isn't she?



That's a point I hadn't thought of. Would it be possible to adapt the junihitoe to be lighter and less cumbersome?

The version that is currently worn is already considerably lighter than earlier versions, so I'm not sure. I think the long walk to the enthronement chamber might present the largest issue, and the most serious pressure on Princess Nobuko's back. I'm sure there is currently a lot of discussion about how to handle this; it will be interesting to see what happens.
 
Maybe Princess Nobuko will skip the enthronement and attend the banquets and other events? Another option would be to wear the junihitoe and use a wheelchair. Instead of walking in the procession, an IHA staff could wheel her into the state room.

However, I suspect the IHA prefers uniformity or a certain aesthetic. Princess Takamatsu was accommodated in 1990. Her back was fine but she couldn't stand through the whole ceremony so she walked in and a chair was brought for her. Well, she was also in the 2nd row, hidden behind Princess Kiko...

Princess Nobuko seems eager for public service. In 2015, she attended events for the 70th National Sports Festival in a wheelchair a few days after braking her right ankle. [Facebook photos]

On August 20th, Princess Akiko and Shinyusha participants weeded the rice fields they planted in Niigata Prefecture in May. They had rice and a special pork soup for lunch.

Photos:
ETA: more photos of Princess Nobuko's visit to Ibaraki Prefecture May 28-29 at http://shimodate.jp/princessnobuko.htm
 
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Sankei's 5-part interview with Princess Akiko in June 2015, 3 years after Prince Tomohito's passing.

Sankei Part 1:
- Princesses Akiko and Yoko inherited their father's public service (international exchange, youth development, social welfare, sports promotion)
- At first, Akiko tried to act as her father's representative before realizing she should be herself
- Most of her public service experience had been with her father
- Akiko felt her father was more of a senior in life than a parent and child [relationship]
- She doesn't remember Prince Tomohito attending her school events when she was younger. Perhaps because he was busy with public service and he may not have been interested in children who could not join in discussions
- Akiko has stronger memories of her father after she entered high school and they had deeper discussions
- She's heard of her father drinking in his hotel room for a long time
- Even though he was her father, he was an Imperial royal so she thought it was natural to speak in honorifics / formal language. She uses the formal version of father "chichi" 父. When Akiko went to a friend's house, she was shocked to hear her friend use the less formal version of father "otosan" お父さん
- Prince Tomohito often paid attention to clothes, even when traveling privately. At the time, Akiko thought it troublesome but now she thinks it’s natural for the Imperial family to be aware of when, where, and by whom. Although she didn’t feel it as a kid, now that she has more opportunities to interact with many people, Akiko sometimes feels her father’s influence and what he said.
 
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On September 23rd, Princess Yoko attended a ceremony celebrating the completion of "Hand Stamp Art Project" at the Children's Miraikan in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture.

The project collected 100,000 handprints and footprints of children with illnesses and disabilities to display at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic venues. Princess Yoko is special advisor to the project.

Photos:
https://www.tonichi.net/news/index.php?id=77140
www.higashiaichi.co.jp

ETA: The IHA announced Princess Nobuko was discharged from Keio University Hospital on September 24. She has recovered enough to walk but public service is suspended until early next month in order to work on rehabilitation for the enthronement ceremony.

Source: Sankei
 
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Unfortunately, Mikasa and Takamado news will be harder to find because Asahi changed how they report the Imperial schedule. They stopped updating the calendar and switched to a restricted article format, example: Imperial schedule 9/23-29. Full access requires an Asahi account. :sad::sad::sad:

Anyway, I'm trying to piece together Princess Akiko and Princess Yoko's visits to Ibaraki Prefecture for the 74th National Sports Festival.

Princess Akiko
Sep 29: triathlon in Itako city, Prefectural University of Medicine and hospital in Ami town, karate competition
Sep 30: wrestling competition in Mito city, softball in Shimotsuma city, and local history museum in Sakuragawa city

Sources:
www.city.itako.lg.jp
www.town.ami.lg.jp
Ami town council member's blog
www.city.mito.lg.jp
www.city.shimotsuma.lg.jp
www.city.sakuragawa.lg.jp

Princess Yoko visits October 1-2, including a rugby football match in Mito city on the 2nd.

On September 7th, Princess Yoko attended the Prince Tomohito Trophy 19th Kendo 8th-dan Selection Tournament at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Princess Yoko appears at 5:56 and several times later
 
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Princess Akiko visited Ibaraki Prefecture September 29-30 for the 74th National Sports Festival.

Photos:
https://ameblo.jp/takahashi-yasushi/day-20190930.html

Princess Yoko visited Ibaraki Prefecture October 1-2 for the 74th National Sports Festival.

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/nobuaki.takahashi.37/posts/2537533342971289
https://www.facebook.com/naokib1/posts/2412810578833163
https://ameblo.jp/takahashi-yasushi/entry-12531960315.html

ETA: More photos of Princess Yoko at the "Hand Stamp Art Project" in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture on September 23.
https://www.facebook.com/nomura.hd/posts/1096749987184687

ETA: Princess Akiko will attend the Rugby World Cup 2019 match between Wales and Fiji in Ōita Prefecture on October 9th.
Source: NHK
 
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Part 2 of Princess Akiko’s 2015 interview with Sankei.

- Discussions with grandfather Prince Mikasa about the past, his military experience, teaching at university, etc.
- She often learns of Imperial customs/traditions from Princess Yuriko and what they mean.
- For example, hats were introduced during the Meiji era and the Imperial family continues to follow the etiquette that hats are worn until 4pm because after 4pm, there’s no need to protect against the sun.
- There was another interview about the decreasing Imperial family members. Her comment that “a decision should be made as soon as possible” on female Imperial branches provoked some controversy.
- Akiko wishes to clarify the misunderstanding because a considerable part was omitted at that time. While any decision should made after thorough discussions, she would like people to understand it is very difficult for a female Imperial family member who must change her life design depending on that decision.
- When her father was alive, Akiko discussed this issue with her sister Yoko. They had been raised under the premise that they would leave the Imperial family on marriage. Whether or not that main premise will go away is a big consideration for an Imperial princess. For now, Akiko continues to fulfill her duties.

Part 3

Background: 70 years after WWII. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko continue to make condolence/consolation visits across Japan and abroad, such as Palau in 2015.
- She’s very grateful Their Majesties have been making the pilgrimages. The visits can lead to more healing.

Background: Princesses Akiko and Yoko worship at Yasukuni Shrine, following their grandfather Prince Mikasa and Prince Tomohito.
- As her generation never experienced war or post-war recovery, Prince Tomohito encouraged her to learn about the past like talking to grandparents and visiting museums in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Akiko believes we must pass on history.

Background: Prince Mikasa was dispatched to Nanjing, China in 1943-1944. He married Yuriko Takagi in October 1941 and their first child, a daughter, Yasuko was born in April 1944. Yuriko was pregnant with Prince Tomohito at the end of the war.
- Because their wedding happened during wartime, Princess Yuriko wore the less formal "kouchigi" instead of junihitoe.
- There were difficult times immediately after the end of war. Prince and Princess Mikasa lived in a rented house, on a very small budget.
- To keep their spirits up, Prince Mikasa recommended dancing.

Background: Prince Tomohito attended the National Self-Defense Forces award ceremony, a duty Princess Akiko took over in 2013.
- Her father had always been drawn to the SDF.
- When the 2011 earthquake and tsunami happened and Imperial family visited victims, Prince Tomohito also visited the SDF.
- She doesn’t feel awkward about taking over the award ceremony because she’s been familiar with SDF since childhood.
 
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