The Mikasa Family Thread


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On March 22nd, Princess Akiko attended a dedication ceremony at Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture for the donation of an offering box from Taiwan's Chiayi County. The main hall was destroyed by fire in 1952 and was rebuilt using hinoki from Taiwan. After learning of this history, Governor Weng Chang-Liang of Chiayi called on local businesses to help create and donate a box made of Chiayi hinoki.

At the ceremony, Governor Weng said, "I believe that the offering box will become a symbol of friendship between Taiwan and Japan." Governor Tsugumasa Muraoka of Yamaguchi Prefecture also said, "I am deeply grateful to everyone in Chiayi County. I would like to further deepen our exchanges with Taiwan."

Governor Weng also brought pineapples and hopes the fruit will shine in the Japanese market.🍍

Photos/video: Facebook Weng Chang-Liang, NHK
 
On March 24th, Princess Yohko visited Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, and donated a water barrier to the city to prevent future flooding.

The Princess Yohko Foundation of which the Princess is Honorary President donated a water collection point to the city. 210 waterstops donated this time weigh around 1.5 kilograms each. It is used instead of sandbags and, by connecting the planks, it is possible to adjust the width as desired, preventing water from entering up to a height of about 40 centimeters.

Princess Yohko also visited the Wajima Fire Station and said: "I hope they [waterstops] will be placed in large evacuation shelters and used to the fullest in the future, so that we can respond to any flooding that may occur".

Photos: NEWS.NTV

PrincessYohkoMarch2025
 
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A photo from Yomiuri of Princess Akiko giving a lecture "What Tradition Means," to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Yanagisawa Yoshisato entering Koriyama Castle in Yamatokoriyama, Nara Prefecture on March 7. Later, she visited the castle and Yanagisawa Bunko Library, see castle tour at post 955.

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On March 22nd, Princess Akiko and her cultural organization Shinyusha held a lecture on Japanese language at Hofu Tenmangu Shrine in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Students from the Takakawa Gakuen High School football club attended the lecture on the theme of "Japanese is Alive" by Satoru Kaminaga, Director of the NPO Children's Language Research Institute.

Kaminaga, who has been devoted to editing dictionaries for almost 37 years, talked about the history of dictionaries, the types of Japanese dictionaries, and his position as a dictionary editor. He first spoke about the history of "okaasan" (mother), origin, variations, usage, etc. Next, he discussed how words are included in dictionaries, words changing meaning and evolution.

Photos: Facebook Shinyusha

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Princess Akiko gifted a maki-e jigsaw puzzle, which she had custom ordered and gave for Princess Yuriko's 100th birthday, to the maki-e artisan's parents. Reina Shimada, age 36, died in a fire caused by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024.


... Princess Yuriko passed away in November last year, and Princess Akiko, out of sympathy for the artisan’s parents, gifted the puzzle to them in December.

Shimada’s father Tomio, 74, and his wife, Yuko, 66, said they are grateful for the thoughtful consideration of Princess Akiko...
... Princess Akiko requested the puzzle be made as a gift for Princess Yuriko, who celebrated her 100th birthday in June 2023. The artwork is a square with 45-centimeter-long sides and is made up of 100 pieces, marking the centenary of the princess.

The design on the puzzle features lilies with five butterflies flying around them, which is intended to represent Princess Yuriko, as her name means lily, and her five children.

... it took two years to complete the work, and six craftspeople were involved in the creation for processes such as undercoating and overcoating. Shimada was responsible for the maki-e due to her high level of technique in creating vivid colors...

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Princess Nobuko will begin living at Takanawa Imperial Residence in Minato, Tokyo from March 31 while her residence at the Imperial Household Agency's branch office in Chiyoda, Tokyo is being renovated.

She was diagnosed with stress-induced asthma and, following her doctor's advice, had been living in the branch office building since 2009. The two-year renovation plan spans fiscal years 2025-2026, with the total construction cost estimated at approximately 1.3 billion yen.

Source: Jiji

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Princess Akiko will visit Mie Prefecture April 6-7 for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Series Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka City and local area inspection. She attended the F1 opening ceremony last year and said, "I'd love to come again next year," so the prefecture and other organizations invited her again.

She will arrive in Mie prefecture in the morning on the 6th, and in the afternoon she will deliver a speech as the honorary president at the F1 opening ceremony at Suzuka Circuit. On the 7th, she is scheduled to visit Banko no Sato Hall in Yokkaichi City and the Imuraya Group in Tsu City.

Source: isenp.co.jp
 
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On February 14th, Princess Yohko met artist Nanae Mitobe at the Mikasa East Residence, in Tokyo.

The Princess Yohko Foundation trought Back Wall Project is organizing an artistic charity exhibition "Art Circles" that should debut to convey the value of art to society and should be held at the LEXUS Osaka Fukushima Store, Osaka Prefecture, in the spring. Nanae Mitobe has been invited to participate.

Mitobe graduated from Tokyo University in 2024, won the VOCA Encouragement Award from the Ueno Royal Museum in 2020 and began to make both solo artistic exhibitions (one in 2024 and two in 2025) and group artistic exhibitions (two in 2024). She started painting both abstract anonymous faces and celebrities.


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On March 29th, Princess Yohko privately met with actor Hayato Kakizawa and singer Hitomi Takahashi, possibly behind the scenes before a performance of the two at a cinema/theater in Tokyo. (?)

She has been described as kind, supportive, and present as a friend.



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More photos of Princess Yohko at the 1st round of the 2025 All-Japan Super Formula Championship at Suzuka International Racing Course, in Suzuka City, on March 8th:

Photos: gazoo.com
 
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On March 31st, Princess Nobuko arrived at Takanawa Imperial Residence in Minato, Tokyo around 12:30pm.

Photos/video: NTV, TBS, FNN

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On April 2nd, Princess Yohko attended "Red Bull Showrun x Powered by Honda" at Tokyo Odaiba Special Course. She is chair of the F1 Showrun event.

Photos: Facebook TopNewsF1





... Red Bull Racing “RB16B” and “RB7”, “RB7” featuring Racing Bulls’ 2025 livery design, plus Honda “RA272” goes flat out in the public road of Tokyo Odaiba Special Course. This marks Japan’s largest-ever F1 demonstration run, featuring four F1 cars and four F1 drivers ...
 
More about Princess Akiko at the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Series Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka City on April 6th:

Here in Italy the race was broadcast in the morning and Princess Akiko was filmed. Unfortunately I didn't take pictures. One of the videos I upload is in Italian and Akiko is called Empress Akiko, I apologize for the error of the commentators. :ROFLMAO:

Part of Princess Akiko's speech: "Last year I went to see the Japanese Grand Prix for the first time and there was a strange sense of excitement, as if the whole venue was in the grip of a fever. The excitement continued to build and the moment the green flag was waved and the race began, everyone seemed to come together and explode. I was overwhelmed by that feeling".

Photos: Alamy, topnews.jp

 
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Princess Yohko privately attended the 2025 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Series Japanese Grand Prix on April 6.

Photo: Facebook Hiroki Katoh

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On April 7th, Princess Akiko inspected traditional pottery at Banko no Sato Hall in Yokkaichi City and confectionery and disaster food supplies at Imuraya Group in Tsu City in Mie Prefecture.

Photo: chunichi, isenp.co.jp, isenp.co.jp2, mietv.com

 
The special radio program "Princess Akiko's All Night Nippon Premium" will be broadcast from 6pm to 8pm on April 21.

Source: Asahi, FNN

I hope Akiko's radio appearance will generate plenty of interest so the media may cover the Mikasa princesses more (and by extension the Takamado princesses) at the garden party the next day. ;)
 
On April 19th, Princess Nobuko attended the completion ceremony of "Tokyo Flower Carpet 2025" at Gyoko-Dori Avenue in Chiyoda, Tokyo. She is honorary patron of the floral event.

Photos: tokyo-sports.co.jp, Facebook Yasuhiko Fujikawa, Facebook 東京インフィオラータ, Facebook Hashigo Nakamura, Facebook 柿本賢治


 
On April 21st, Princess Akiko attended the finish of La Festa Primavera 2025, a classic car road race, at Okazaki Park in Kyoto City.

Photos: Facebook Koji Matsui


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On April 23rd, Princess Akiko and Princess Yohko attended the second day of the spring festival at Yasukuni Shrine in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

Photo: Facebook Masahiko Sato

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More photos of Princess Nobuko at Tokyo Flower Carpet 2025 on April 19: AFLO Images

 
On April 25th, Princess Yohko attended the opening ceremony of "ART CIRCLES" Charity Exhibition by Back Wall Project at Lexus Osaka Fukushima in Osaka Prefecture.



Press release [総裁・瑶子女王殿下] 日本のアート界を牽引する10人の若い才能が共鳴し、100号の絵画で美しい未来を紡ぐ。奇跡のチャリティーグループ展『ART CIRCLES』初開催

... The charity group exhibition "ART CIRCLES" will feature 10 young all-star artists who are leading the Japanese art world, exhibiting and selling a total of approximately 17 works (planned), centered around a large-scale 100cm work. Princess Yoko will act as president and 10 artists, who agree with the philosophy of this project, participated and created works for this exhibition. A portion of the proceeds from this exhibition will be donated to the disaster-stricken areas, making this a rare opportunity to contribute to society beyond the sale of art works...
 
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