Imperial Family of Japan Jewels 2: 2023 -

[Stefan]

Imperial Seal of Japan​

Welcome to the Imperial Family of Japan Jewels Thread, Part 2

Commencing June 28th, 2023 ​

The previous thread can be found here

Please take a look at the
TRF Community Rules & FAQs
​

· Only pictures that you have written permission to share can be posted here. You can post links to any pictures.
· It's a copyright violation to post translations of entire articles, so no more than 20% of an article
text should be posted, along with the link to the original article.
· We expect our members to treat each other, and the royals and persons in these threads, with respect.
· The Report Post button is for reporting inappropriate content in a post if no moderators or administrators are online.
· Threads should remain on topic. Posts which are irrelevant or disruptive
will be deleted or moved by one of the moderators.

***​

​

 

[Prisma]

Princess Masako wore her mother's secondary tiara (Mikasa pearl drop), the same tiara her sister Yasuko wore at her Choken-no-Gi ceremony in 1966.

AFLO image of Princess Masako leaving the Imperial Palace. AFLO misidentifies her as "Yoko"

Yogi Beauty Salon prepared Princess Masako for the Choken-no-Gi which happened on September 28 (image from Easthall shows 9月28日 aka 9th month, 28th day in the text).

https://www.yogi.co.jp/wp-content/themes/yogibeautysalon/assets/images/about-history-1983.png

Yogi prepared many Imperial ladies for marriage or coming-of-age: https://www.yogi.co.jp/about/history/

Princess Masako married Masayuki Sen on October 14, 1983 in Kyoto. It would have been too much for Choken-no-Gi + palace sanctuaries worship in Tokyo and then everyone traveling to Kyoto for the wedding ceremonies on the same day.

 

[MarieAmelie_95]

Princess Masako wore her mother's secondary tiara (Mikasa pearl drop), the same tiara her sister Yasuko wore at her Choken-no-Gi ceremony in 1966.

AFLO image of Princess Masako leaving the Imperial Palace. AFLO misidentifies her as "Yoko"

Yogi Beauty Salon prepared Princess Masako for the Choken-no-Gi which happened on September 28 (image from Easthall shows 9月28日 aka 9th month, 28th day in the text).

https://www.yogi.co.jp/wp-content/themes/yogibeautysalon/assets/images/about-history-1983.png

Yogi prepared many Imperial ladies for marriage or coming-of-age: https://www.yogi.co.jp/about/history/

Princess Masako married Masayuki Sen on October 14, 1983 in Kyoto. It would have been too much for Choken-no-Gi + palace sanctuaries worship in Tokyo and then everyone traveling to Kyoto for the wedding ceremonies on the same day.

Thanks a lot, Prisma. I did not know this information. Thank you!

 

[doro]

Princess Masako wore her mother's secondary tiara (Mikasa pearl drop), the same tiara her sister Yasuko wore at her Choken-no-Gi ceremony in 1966.

AFLO image of Princess Masako leaving the Imperial Palace. AFLO misidentifies her as "Yoko"

Yogi Beauty Salon prepared Princess Masako for the Choken-no-Gi which happened on September 28 (image from Easthall shows 9月28日 aka 9th month, 28th day in the text).

https://www.yogi.co.jp/wp-content/themes/yogibeautysalon/assets/images/about-history-1983.png

Yogi prepared many Imperial ladies for marriage or coming-of-age: https://www.yogi.co.jp/about/history/

Princess Masako married Masayuki Sen on October 14, 1983 in Kyoto. It would have been too much for Choken-no-Gi + palace sanctuaries worship in Tokyo and then everyone traveling to Kyoto for the wedding ceremonies on the same day.

Does exists a photo of Masako and not of Yoko?

 

[doro]

Takamado ladies' tiara appearances in 2023:

Hisako
Tsuguko

 

[doro]

Royal ladies of Japan yesterday:

Aiko
Kako
Akiko
Yoko
Hisako
Tsuguko

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The history of some of Japan's Royal Jewellery is explained.

 

[doro]

Masako's tiara appearances in 2024:
1 | 2
Aiko's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Kiko's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Kako's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Akiko's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Yoko's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Hisako's tiara appearance in 2024:
1
Tsuguko's tiara appearance in 2024:
1

 

[Prisma]

Asahi Shimbun's Aera Dot articles about Imperial family tiaras and hope that a new tiara for Princess Aiko will be eventually be made.

• Atelier MAILLET D'OR, a jewelry company founded in 1969, made coming-of-age tiaras for Princess Yohko of Mikasa, Princess Tsuguko of Takamado and Princess Mako of Akishino.
• Mikimoto dominated tiaras in the Showa era. Tiaras were ordered through discretionary contracts.
• However, other companies became involved during Heisei era when the competitive bidding system (although centered on Mikimoto and Wako) was introduced at Princess Yohko's coming of age in 2003.
• Atelier MAILLET D'OR was in charge of tiaras and necklaces when Wako won bids. Yohko was the Atelier's first Imperial tiara.
• A company is selected about a year and a few months before a princess's birthday.
• The princess is asked about her wishes, favorite designs and discussions begin.
• President Jin Okura remarks, "Having said that, at this stage a princess is still young, 18 or 19 years old. The meetings will be led by her mother, who has in-depth knowledge about jewellery."
• Princess Yohko decided on an adorable design encasing her personal emblem (star) with soft curves.
• Princess Tsuguko's tiara was created with a phoenix feather motif.
• Generally, tiaras are imagined to have a perfectly symmetrical design, but Princess Tsuguko chose an asymmetrical design at the suggestion of her mother, Princess Hisako, who has extensive knowledge of jewelry.
• Okura also points out Hisako's influence on tiaras and necklaces for Princess Noriko and Princess Ayako. Both have elegant, asymmetrical designs.
• Wako won the bid for Princess Mako and put Atelier MAILLET D'OR in charge of the entire parure.
• Princess Kiko and her daughters all had the lily flower as the design motif and reportedly wanted their 3 tiaras to be similar.
• CAD software was first used in making Mako's tiara. Her parure utilized a 3D printer and consisted of 239 individual pieces.
• Tiaras for the younger generation (Kako, Tsuguko, etc.) and their mothers (Hisako) weigh between 150-180 grams.
• The Empress's tiara, created earlier with more diamonds or pearls, weighs about 250 grams.
• A custom eventually developed where a tiara's size, quality and decoration decreased based on rank. Empress should be the grandest, Crown Princess less so, etc.
• Tiara sizes became more modest from the Meiji era, when the Imperial family adopted Western style for formal attire, to Heisei era, .
• For example, Princess Takamatsu (Kikuko)'s wedding tiara in 1930 (Showa 5) is considerably larger and substantial than modern tiaras.
• Some tiaras have bases that can be adjusted, giving the impression of varying height depending on hairstyle and angle but generally following the custom.
• Okura says the tiara and other jewelry can be disassembled and combined to create different accessories. There are many designs where bracelets can be connected to create a tiara, brooch turned into obidome, or a tiara transforms into multiple brooches.
• An order for a princess consort or princess coming-of-age consists of 5 types of jewelry: tiara, earrings, necklace, 2 bracelets, brooch.
• Princess Aiko’s tiara could be the last opportunity for any jewelry workshop and knowledge transfer for Japanese craftsmen.
• Prince Hisahito's future wife may or may not need a new tiara. She could receive the Crown Princess Scroll or Sunburst tiaras with some alterations.
• Okura says, "The Imperial tiara requires advanced and delicate techniques, and Japanese jewelers have much to learn from it. It is a chance to pass on these techniques to the next generation of craftsmen. I would love for Princess Aiko to make a new tiara."

Sources, photos: Dot Asahi, Dot Asahi2

Lovely view of Princess Tsuguko's tiara: Photo (courtesy of reader Abe Mitsuki, New Year's Day 2024)

 

[Prinsara]

Please, please give her her own tiara. It isn’t fair. It remains really unfair years later. The country won’t revolt if she has a tiara of her own.

 

[Tilia C.]

It seems really strange, that the Emperor's daughter is the only Princess without her own tiara. I really hope that she will receive her own jewellery set this year.

There was the usual reception on New Year's Day, Aiko was wearing her aunt's tiara again. Strangely, Kako was the lowest ranking lady present, the Mikasa and Takamado ladies were all absent. I hope that is not the new trend for Narohito's reign.

New Year’s Reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

The Japanese Imperial Family join Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to receive New Year’s greetings from Politicians, Dignitaries and Diplomats during the annual New Year’s Reception in the Matsu-no-Ma State Room of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

royalwatcherblog.com

 

[Stefan]

There was the usual reception on New Year's Day, Aiko was wearing her aunt's tiara again. Strangely, Kako was the lowest ranking lady present, the Mikasa and Takamado ladies were all absent. I hope that is not the new trend for Narohito's reign.

New Year’s Reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

The Japanese Imperial Family join Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to receive New Year’s greetings from Politicians, Dignitaries and Diplomats during the annual New Year’s Reception in the Matsu-no-Ma State Room of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

royalwatcherblog.com

It have read that the Mikasa Princesses were absent because they are still in mourning.

 

[Tilia C.]

Thank you Stefan, that would explain their absence and give us hope for next year.