Princess Yuriko turns 100 on June 4. Granddaughter Princess Akiko responded to
an interview with NHK (includes some photos) at the end of May.
Princess Akiko: “To put it bluntly, I always look at Her Imperial Highness (Princess Yuriko) and think that I want to grow old like that. I once again think that you are strong, and I always think while talking to you that I must become a person who can take everything calmly and gracefully like Her Highness."
Princess Yuriko’s daily life: reading books & magazines, doing crossword and jigsaw puzzles, watching news and baseball games. Sometimes goes for a drive. She watched this year’s WBC until late.
Princess Yuriko was honorary president of Imperial Gift Foundation Boshi-Aiiku-kai and Association of Promotion of Folk Costume Culture for many years.
In 1941, it was decided Yuriko Takagi would marry Prince Mikasa after graduating from Gakushuin Women's Academy. At first, she didn’t know what it was about. Yuriko recalls everyone was in shock. Her father was in a very difficult position. She declined 3 times but didn’t hear back, thinking “I’m in a desperate situation.”
There was much excitement at the first Imperial family wedding in 11 years. The Pacific War began shortly after their marriage and she was pregnant with Yasuko when Prince Mikasa was sent to Nanjing, China. In May 1945, their residence burned down in an air raid and the young family lived in an air shelter for a while.
Princess Yuriko supported her husband's post-war research activities such as commenting, "One part of the sentence is too long and I can't follow the content."
Prince Mikasa's assistant at the time and Former President of Tokyo Woman's Christian Universiy, Akiko Minato recalled Yuriko's organization and help. Sensei always wore a nice suit and tie, but he often said, "Because Yuriko chose it for me."
Princess Akiko served as chairman of the publishing committee for the recent biography on Prince Mikasa, taking her grandmother's oral history in proper form.
Princess Akiko: "I feel that Her Imperial Highness was the cornerstone of the Mikasanomiya family. I am extremely happy that she is still doing well and peacefully. It is a time to hear from Her Imperial Highness. I'm really very happy, and I've been taught a lot of things through casual conversations. I look forward to hearing many stories from you."