The Mikasa Family Thread

[MarieAmelie_95]

More photos of Princess Akiko at the 28th National Confectionary Exposition opening ceremony in Asahikawa on May 29th:

The Confectionery Expo has been held approximately every four years since 1911 and this will be the second time it has been held in Hokkaido, 57 years after Sapporo in 1968. From the first day, the event was crowded with tourists.

Photos/video: Yomiuri, Sankei, NHK

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Another photo of Princess Nobuko at the 20th World Rose Convention 2025 in Fukuyama on May 19th:

Photo: Facebook

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Another photo of Princess Akiko with King Carl XVI Gustaf at Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 in Osaka on May 14th:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJsUzhaTifj/

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I found nothing about Princess Yohko. As hard as her activities are to find, this year she has done very few (she doesn't get to 7 events, I think), maybe because she is more involved in her foundation and in the Back Wall Project, but she has really reduced the appearances and seeing her participate in events only and exclusively about her business is bad.

I would like to see her more, not least because compared to her sister, she has done less than a fifth of Akiko's work this year, with all of her getting more honorary positions since she returned from the United States last year. Princess Tsuguko (to my pleasant surprise), has surpassed Princess Yohko this year in the number of events.

 

[Prisma]

Perhaps Princess Yohko is busy with her foundation, Back Wall Project or behind-the-scenes welfare activities. Hope she has a public event soon. If media covers the memorial services for Prince Tomohito and Prince Katsura, we may see her.

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Recently, Princess Yohko saw the play "Harry Potter and The Cursed Child" at TBS Akasaka ACT Theater in Minato, Tokyo and met the cast after the show.

高橋ひとみ Hitomi Takahashi on Instagram: "瑶子様が舞台『ハリー・ポッターと呪いの子』を観に来てくださいました😆 @hpstagetokyo #ハリーポッターと呪いの子 #ハリポタ #赤坂ACTシアター"

4,960 likes, 14 comments - hitomi_momoe on June 1, 2025: "瑶子様が舞台『ハリー・ポッターと呪いの子』を観に来てくださいました😆 @hpstagetokyo #ハリーポッターと呪いの子 #ハリポタ #赤坂ACTシアター".

www.instagram.com

高橋ひとみ Hitomi Takahashi on Instagram: "終演後に瑶子様とキャストの皆さんでパチリ📷 @hpstagetokyo #ハリーポッターと呪いの子 #平方元基　さん #木村花代　さん #豊田エリー　さん #手打隆盛　さん"

3,972 likes, 12 comments - hitomi_momoe on June 1, 2025: "終演後に瑶子様とキャストの皆さんでパチリ📷 @hpstagetokyo #ハリーポッターと呪いの子 #平方元基　さん #木村花代　さん #豊田エリー　さん #手打隆盛　さん".

www.instagram.com

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On May 31st, Princess Akiko spoke at the World Forum on Japanese Culture at the MOA Museum of Art's Noh Theater at Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Video of the talk will be released later.

Photo: atami.keizai.biz

World Forum on Japanese Culture Set to Kick Off; 1st Session to Feature Speech by Princess Akiko

<p>The World Forum on Japanese Culture is set to kick off at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on May 31.</p>

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp

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More content of Princess Akiko's May 29-30 visit to Hokkaido Prefecture for the 28th National Confectionery Exposition. She also visited Inoue Yasushi Memorial Hall and Asahikawa Museum of Sculpture in Asahikawa City.

Photos: Facebook Naomichi Suzuki , Facebook hokkaido.tijipage

https://twitter.com/x/status/1928361898007031973

https://twitter.com/x/status/1928381965813891344

https://twitter.com/x/status/1928683904707473579

 

[MarieAmelie_95]

On June 7th, Princess Akiko attended the 36th Arinomama Living Welfare Seminar at City Small and Medium Enterprise Revitalization Center in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.

This conference is organized annually by the "Arimamasha" welfare organization in Sendai and about 60 people attended.

Princess Akiko, who inherited the position of president of the organization from her father Prince Tomohito, said in her speech: "My father's motto was that there is no such thing as a 100% disabled or 100% able-bodied person. He believed that it was important to seriously consider and discuss everything, regardless of whether a person had a disability or not, and to inform oneself".

Video/photos: TBS, Kahoku

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On June 8th (?), Princess Akiko gave an interview to Nikkei regarding her time abroad, her desire to convey Japanese culture, her activities and the legacies of her father Prince Tomohito.

It is a paid article but if you search for the title of the article on the internet you will be shown the photos in the article.

Interview: Nikkei

 

[Prisma]

On April 18th, Princess Akiko attended the 57th Ichimura Prize Presentation Ceremony and Commemorative Celebration at Imperial Hotel Tokyo.

理工学部　三浦正志教授／リーディングリサーチャーが市村清新技術財団(総裁　三笠宮家 彬子女王殿下)市村学術賞を受賞しました｜News&Topics｜成蹊大学

理工学部　三浦正志教授／リーディングリサーチャーが市村清新技術財団(総裁　三笠宮家 彬子女王殿下)市村学術賞を受賞しました｜News&Topics｜世界に、未来に、貢献する人間教育を行う、成蹊大学のウェブサイトです。

www.seikei.ac.jp

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Article and photos of the "World Forum on Japanese Culture" on May 31:

Princess Akiko Calls for Elevating Traditional Japanese Culture; World Forum on Japanese Culture Kicks Off

<p>ATAMI, Shizuoka — Princess Akiko of Mikasa stressed the importance of cultivating fertile soil for traditional Japanese culture to live on without the need for protection, during a recent event that kicked off the World Forum on Japanese Culture.</p>

japannews.yomiuri.co.jp

... In the first session, Princess Akiko delivered a speech titled “Japanese Art: Untold Stories,” in which she said that traditional Japanese culture will become “a thing of the past” unless it is incorporated into modern society and people make use of it.

“Culture should come alive in our everyday lives,” she said. “Japanese culture is supposed to be closely connected to our everyday lives, not something merely appreciated.”

... She called for a “bottom-up style” of cultural preservation, in which each person naturally strives to protect their culture, rather than a “top-down style,” in which authorities choose what to keep and protect.

“If you don’t know why something is important, you don’t care to protect it,” she said. “What we can do now is use our own efforts to build a future for preserving our precious Japanese culture.”

 

[Prisma]

On June 12th, Princess Nobuko departed from Haneda Airport around midnight for an unofficial visit to Hungary. She will attend the World Judo Championships in Budapest and return to Japan on the 22nd.

Photo: NHK

 

[Prisma]

Princess Akiko will give a special talk "A Tale of Royal and Imperial Costumes: The Trajectory of UK-Japan Relations" on August 28 at 2-3pm for Oxford's Ashmolean Museum. This is an in-person and online event. Tickets are £8.

A TALE OF ROYAL AND IMPERIAL COSTUMES

This special talk by Her Imperial Highness, Princess Akiko of Mikasa will focus on connections between the Japanese Imperial family and the British Royal family through developments in Imperial costumes from the late 19th century to the current day.

www.ashmolean.org

... As Japan became a major international power in the late 1900s, its Imperial family, as symbols of the modern nation of Japan, adopted the dress styles of the European monarchy. From wedding and funeral attire to state banquets and the matter of hats, Princess Akiko will give an insider’s insight into how Imperial dress codes have continued to change ever since...

I think this is the rescheduled talk from her canceled UK trip last year.

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Photo of Princess Akiko's interview with Nikkei, published on June 8

NIKKEI The STYLE（公式） on Instagram: "【My Story】三笠宮家の彬子さまが記された英国留学記『赤と青のガウン』は、「プリンセスの日常が面白すぎる」とSNSで話題となり、30万部を超えるベストセラーとなりました。女性皇族として公務に臨みながら、執筆や講演を通じて日本文化を広める活動にも力を注いでいらっしゃいます。その原点には父、寛仁さまの言葉がありました。 Princess Akiko of the Mikasa gained wide attention

39 likes, 0 comments - nikkeithestyle on June 9, 2025: "【My Story】三笠宮家の彬子さまが記された英国留学記『赤と青のガウン』は、「プリンセスの日常が面白すぎる」とSNSで話題となり、30万部を超えるベストセラーとなりました。女性皇族として公務に臨みながら、執筆や講演を通じて日本文化を広める活動にも力を注いでいらっしゃいます。その原点には父、寛仁さまの言葉がありました。 Princess Akiko of the Mikasa gained wide attention on social media with her...

www.instagram.com

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Princess Akiko at the Arinomama seminar on June 7:

 

[Prisma]

Princess Nobuko presented medals for women's -52kg on June 14 (Day 2) of the Judo World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Photos: Facebook Cees de Haan

https://twitter.com/x/status/1934035992291455076

-52 kg: Uta Abe Smiles for Her Fifth World Title

The women’s final on day 2 of the OTP Bank World Judo Championships was fought between two giants of judo. Uta Abe (JPN) already has an Olympic and 4 world titles. Distria Krasniqi has Olympic gold and silver as well as two world medals. Both have cut through the rest in Budapest to set up a...

www.ijf.org

Dailymotion

www.dailymotion.com

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Princess Akiko, who inherited the position of president of the organization from her father Prince Tomohito, said in her speech: "My father's motto was that there is no such thing as a 100% disabled or 100% able-bodied person. He believed that it was important to seriously consider and discuss everything, regardless of whether a person had a disability or not, and to inform oneself".

I am glad that Princess Akiko speaks so often of her late father, and thankful to you and @Prisma for posting what she says. If I needed to rely on the English media, I would not know anything about Prince Tomohito of Mikasa except that he struggled with alcohol and made stupid comments/jokes about female succession. Clearly, there was much more to him than that and he was a complex and in many ways admirable person.

And of course what he said about 100% (dis)ability is quite true. Even "able-bodied" people, especially older people, often have invisible health issues that dramatically impact their lives behind the scenes.

 

[Prisma]

More about Princess Yohko’s visit to Aichi Prefecture in June 2024.

Iino Elementary School in Toyota City has held universal design classes for 6th graders since 2021 and the classes were taught by Toyota Motor Corp, sponsored by Inclusive Design Network, since 2023. Following a June 5 lecture on disabilities and wheelchair experience, Princess Yohko visited the design class on June 12. She is an honorary advisor where she joined a briefing from a Toyota employee, viewed student introduction sheets, met each group, and attended presentations later.

While the students worked on their ideas and presentations, Princess Yohko visited Toyota’s Kamigo Plant and Kojima Disability Employment Support Center Toyota City Sakura Works.

Article, photos: kidsUD2024-06 | Inclusive Design Network

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More photos of Princess Nobuko during her June 12-22 visit to the 2025 Judo World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. It appears she also gifted candy or snacks.

Photos: Facebook Slaviša Bradic

Slaviša Bradic on Instagram: "IJF Academy with H.I.H. Princess Tomohito of Mikasa IJF ambassador 🇯🇵"

90 likes, 1 comments - slavisabradic on June 24, 2025: "IJF Academy with H.I.H. Princess Tomohito of Mikasa IJF ambassador 🇯🇵".

www.instagram.com

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Princess Akiko’s collection of essays “Japanese Art: Untold Stories Inori no katachi” was released on June 16. This is the final volume of her 2-book Untold Stories series.

目に見えない“祈り”の力とは——彬子女王殿下のエッセイ『日本美のこころ イノリノカタチ』発売　｜　和樂web 美の国ニッポンをもっと知る！

彬子女王殿下のライフワークついに完結！『日本美のこころ イノリノカタチ』 イノリノカタチを知ることは、人々の心の源流を辿る旅でもある。 （「はじめに」より） 英国オックスフォード大学の留学記『赤と青のガウン』が大ベストセラーとなった彬子女王殿下が次に向かったのは『日本美のこころ』を探す旅。シリーズ完結編となる本書では「日本文化を訪ねる旅はライフワーク」と語られる彬子女王殿下ならではの視点で人々の祈...

intojapanwaraku.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1933037176092307575

https://twitter.com/x/status/1934527685776330992

 

[Prisma]

Princess Nobuko will meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, during his June 28 - July 1 visit to Japan for the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Visit to Japan by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Princess Nobuko will meet Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, during his June 28 - July 1 visit to Japan for the Osaka-Kansai Expo.

Visit to Japan by His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan

I wondered if she volunteered/was chosen for this dignitary meeting because she is Catholic.

 

[Prisma]

On June 15th, Princess Akiko and her cultural organization Shinyusha planted rice in Niigata Prefecture. Students from Kokugakuin University and Niigata University also participated.

Photos: Facebook Shinyusha

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On June 30th, Princess Nobuko met Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of Vatican City, at Takanawa residence.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1939665386187952304

 

[Prisma]

On June 28th, Princess Akiko attended the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2025 Japan XV vs Maori All Blacks at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium in Minato, Tokyo. Japan lost 20-53.

Photo: LinkedIn Mark Robinson

 

[Somebody]

I wondered if she volunteered/was chosen for this dignitary meeting because she is Catholic.

That would make sense.