Imperial Family of Japan Current Events Part 3: May 2017 -


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:previous: Princesses Nobuko, Hisako and Tsuguko visited Meiji Jingu on April 17th to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Empress Shoken's death.

Photos: FNN
 
More galleries of spring garden party: FNN, Mainichi, Asahi, AP Images

TV-Asahi gallery includes 2002 garden party

Princess Yohko left after the national anthem. Maybe she suddenly felt unwell? Princess Nobuko accompanied Princess Hanako out and then returned.





Finger food at the garden party. No alcohol or grilled meat because they create long lines/crowds.

 
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Other videos of the Spring Garden party:



Even longer videos tend to cut off the part where Princess Yōko leaves. Usually the ones I've seen tend to zoom in on the couple Akishino/Princesses Aiko and Kako/Princess Hanako at the moment when the national anthem ends, as if to hide something. One shows Princess Akiko suddenly turning around and then promptly avoiding that by zooming in on Princess Nobuko first and then those before her. The length of time Princess Yōko is no longer seen is about 50 seconds. In these seconds, something has happened. She either felt ill or left for other reasons.

Princesses Hisako and Tsuguko saw someone unexpected at the end of the Garden Party and approached this person.

Some screenshots of the Princesses leaving:




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More photos of Imperial Princesses at the Spring Garden party yesterday:

Princess Nobuko: Asahi

Princess Akiko: Asahi

Princess Hisako: Asahi

Princess Tsuguko: Asahi
 
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The media were going to focus on Princess Aiko anyway since it's her garden party debut. I'm not surprised the extended families were ignored, except for some parts where they're chatting with guests and exits. Sadly, The Page/Yahoo! coverage didn't have a good position for the welcome ceremony. I'm disappointed TV Tokyo cut to guest interviews after Aiko's exit. Usually, TV Tokyo uploads the entire footage.

Imperial Household Agency coverage:




Cat pictures exchanged at imperial spring garden party | The Asahi Shimbun Asia & Japan Watch
[...] One of the guests was contemporary artist Tadanori Yokoo.

Yokoo struck up a conversation with the imperial family about the publication of his book of paintings of his beloved cat, Tama.

In turn, Masako took out several photos of the imperial family’s cat from her bag and said, “This one was a stray that we took in.”

On a more serious note, the imperial couple talked with another guest, Ishikawa prefectural assembly Chairman Yoshihiko Zenda, about the recent Noto Peninsula earthquake.

[...]

Guests at Emperor, Empress’ Spring Garden Party Not Required to Wear Mask for 1st Time in Reiwa Era - The Japan News
[...] The event was attended by 1,402 guests, including distinguished persons from academia, the arts and other fields.

The Imperial couple and other members of the Imperial family strolled around the garden for about two hours, meeting with guests and engaging in casual conversation. [...]

 
The Japanese Red Cross Society National Convention will be held on May 15.

Empress Masako, Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako, Princess Nobuko and Princess Hisako will attend.

Source: NTV
 
On May 19th, Emperor Naruhito, Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko and Princesses Kako, Akiko, Yōko, and Tsuguko will attend the Emperor Gokameyama's 600th Anniversary Ceremony at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo.

I hope that photos of the members entering the Palace will arrive. I think the media should start releasing videos of these memorial ceremonies for the Imperial ancestors as well.

Source: Asahi Imperial Schedule May 13th-19th
(copied at Blog.goo.ne.jp)
 
On May 15th, Empress Masako, Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako, Princess Nobuko and Princess Hisako attended the Reiwa 6 (2024) National Red Cross Convention at Meiji Jingu Kaikan in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Princess Aiko, as a JRCS employee, worked at the convention and was seen wearing a red, staff member lanyard when departing the Imperial Palace in the morning.

Photos: Asahi, FNN, AP Images





:previous: More photos: AFLO Images, Dot Asahi, Facebook - Japanese Red Cross


Princess Aiko worked as a management staff member at the convention: welcoming attendees, ushering them to locations and providing guidance. She did not interact with the Imperial family. According to sources, Princess Aiko, who belongs to the Youth Volunteer Division, is believed to have been in charge of welcoming and guiding visiting high school and university students from areas affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Sources: TBS, NTV, FNN

 
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On June 8th, Princess Aiko, Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko and Princesses Kako, Hanako, Akiko, Yōko, Hisako and Tsuguko will attend the Annual remembrance service in memory of Prince Katsura, both at the Imperial Shrines and at the Toshimaoka Imperial Cemetery. This year coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Prince's death.

On June 6th, Princesses Akiko, Yōko, Hisako and Tsuguko will attend the Annual remembrance service in memory of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, both at the Imperial Shrines and at the Toshimaoka Imperial Cemetery. This year coincides with the twelfth anniversary of the Prince's death.

Source: Asahi Imperial Schedule June 3rd-9th
(copied at: Blog.goo.ne.jp)
 
:previous: On the afternoon of June 8th, Imperial family and relatives attended the 10th anniversary memorial service for Prince Katsura’s death at Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery in Bunkyo, Tokyo.

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and the Emeritus couple did not attend per custom, sending envoys instead. This is Princess Aiko's first graveside service attendance. Princess Akiko represented Princess Yuriko, who remains hospitalized, offering tamagushi.

Former royals and spouses attended: Noriko Senge, Sayako and Yoshiki Kuroda, Masako and Sōshitsu Sen XVI, and Tadateru Konoe (I didn't see Yasuko clearly but I assume she attended as well).

An earlier memorial service was held at the Mikasa residence in Akasaka Estate.

Photos: Asahi, FNN, NHK, AP Images



 
Glad to read that former members of the imperial family and their spouses were also present. Just like in other families, occasions like these are also a moment for family to meet. I doubt princesses Aiko and Kako see their aunt and uncle that often, so I hope they had an opportunity to talk to them today.
 
Longer compilation video of Prince Katsura's 10th anniversary memorial. There was something about Princess Yohko towards the end but no transcription was available (yet?).

 
On July 10th, Emperor Naruhito's family, Emeritus couple, Crown Prince Akishino family (minus Prince Hisahito), Sayako Kuroda and her husband Yoshiki attended a concert celebrating the Emeritus couple's 90th birthdays at Tokagakudo Hall in the Imperial Palace. Emperor Emeritus Akihito turned 90 last December and Empress Emerita Michiko will turn 90 in October.

Musicians with long connections to the Emeritus couple, including Yoichiro Murakami (cellist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo), performed songs special to them. The Imperial Household Agency hosted the concert. Pianist Michie Koyama and saxophonist Sadao Watanabe also performed.

Photos: FNN, AP Images, Jiji
 
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On July 17th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, accompanied by Crown Prince Akishino and Princess Kako, hosted a tea party for attendees of the 10th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM10) at the Imperial Palace. Leaders and their spouses from 14 countries and regions, including Palau and Samoa, attended.

Photos: AP Images, Getty Images, FNN, Asahi

Imperial Household Agency: Instagram, Instagram2

The 3-day summit began on July 16 and is held every 3 years. The last meeting was held online due to the pandemic.

 
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The autumn garden party will be held on October 30 at Akasaka Estate.

Meal service will return to pre-pandemic level, including meat dishes such as jingisukan. However, alcohol will not return yet. Only non-alcoholic beverages.

Source: Sankei
 
Imperial family at 2024 National Sports Festival in Saga Prefecture.

October 5-6: Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako
  • Opening ceremony, reception with festival staff
  • Volleyball, Hizenhama Station
October 7-8: Princess Tsuguko
  • Archery, Kashima City Cultural Hall, table tennis
  • Sumo, volleyball, Yoshinogari Historical Park
October 8-10: Princess Hisako
  • Kyudo, wrestling
  • Hockey, weightlifting, secret kiln village
  • Fencing, basketball
October 10-11: Princess Akiko
  • Rugby, History and Folklore Museum, Tea Tourism
  • Handball, Child Development Medical Center
October 11-12: Princess Aiko
  • Track and field, Saga Castle History Museum
  • Judo, Saga Prefecture Red Cross Blood Center, Nao handmade washi paper workshop
October 12-13: Princess Yohko
  • Softball, Kashima traditional crafts
  • Kendo
October 13-14: Princess Nobuko
  • Judo
  • Track and field
October 14-15: Princess Kako
  • Climbing, Ceramics Museum
  • Track and field, closing ceremony, Prefectural school for the deaf
Sources with detailed PDFs:
 
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On October 30th, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Imperial family members attended the autumn garden party at Akasaka Estate.

Photos: Getty Images, AP Images, FNN, FNN2, Mainichi, Asahi


Mostly focused on Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's interactions with guests

More autumn garden party photos: Dot Asahi

Jisin: Princess Yohko

Jisin: Princess Aiko, Empress Masako, Princess Kako, Crown Princess Kiko

Jisin: mostly Princess Aiko and Princess Kako

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Content from Imperial Household Agency and The Page shared Imperial Household Agency's video footage





:previous: another Dot Asahi gallery has more photos of the Mikasa and Takamado princesses at the October 30 garden party.
 
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On November 5th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted a tea ceremony for 7 recipients of the Order of Culture and 15 recipients of the Persons of Cultural Merit at the Imperial Palace. Princess Aiko, Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko and Princess Kako also attended.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the first "court tea ceremony" in 5 years with food and drink. However, infection prevention measures remain. Tables are larger and menu changed to lighter fare such as hors d'oeuvres and fruit.

Photos: FNN, Mainichi


 
After a 5-year pandemic hiatus, duck netting receptions will resume on November 19 with Princess Aiko and Princess Kako hosting diplomatic corps from 32 countries at Saitama Kamoba (Imperial Wild Duck Preserve) in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture.

Sources: NTV, FNN

Ducks are netted, tagged and released to track migration. The Imperial family hosts several duck netting receptions for the diplomatic corps from mid-November to mid-February.
 
2025 New Year general public greetings will be held on January 2 with 5 sessions: 10:10am, 11am, 11:50am, 1:30pm, and 2:20pm. The event will return to pre-Covid format. Registration is not needed and some 20,000 people are expected per session. However, visitors are requested to maintain distance from each other, avoid shouting in crowds, and to leave promptly after each session.

Sources: Sankei, Jiji, FNN


2024 general public greetings were canceled following the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1.
 
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On December 10th, Princess Hanako and Princess Akiko attended a duck netting reception with the diplomatic corps at Shinhama Kamoba (Imperial Wild Duck Preserves) in Ichikawa City, Chiba Prefecture. Diplomats from 29 countries were invited.

Photos: FNN
 
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