What do the imperial family actually do besides public duties?

[NGalitzine]

The Imperial family seem to study rather obscure non controversial subjects when at university in Japan and in the UK. Would a member of the family be allowed to study a subject like history of Japan during WWII or perhaps be allowed to study law or politics or even serve in the Japanese Defence Force?

 

[ChiaraC]

No, yes, no and no.

Japanese traditionalists, and, in particular, the Imperial Household Agency, have a dislike for historical research. In spite of scientists’ appeals who crave to examine the more than 400 tombs the Government asserts hold the remains of emperors, empresses and their relatives, in spite of their declaration that the scientific gain of excavations would be immeasurable, the IHA refuses to grant archaeologists access. Officially, the IHA maintains this is simply a matter of not wanting to desecrate the graves of the emperor’s ancestors. But the reasons for their lack of support to scientists are lying much deeper as the words of one retired IHA executive reveal: “The archaeologists’ job is to overturn the accepted, and this is the accepted history of Japan. If you let archaeologists in, it could cause confusion. Why is it so important to find out the truth?”

Naruhito insisted on studying history and received his bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Gakushuin University in 1982 and 1988, respectively. But he had to stick to rather innocuous subjects within his field of expertise. His thesis was called, “A Tentative Review of Maritime Transportation in the Seto Inland Sea in the Medieval Period”.

Prince Mikasa´s youngest son, Prince Takamado, was a graduate of the Department of Law of Gakushuin University. In the 1980s, for two and a half years, he wrote about ballet for the Tokyo Shimbun, an experience that demonstrated his curiously limited life.

It would be unthinkable and scandalous for a Japanese prince to criticize a citizen; it would be outrageous if he criticized a foreigner. So the pieces he wrote every month on ballet were journalistic oddities, reviews with the negative parts left out. "I never called my writing criticism. Because I could not write anything bad or nasty, I tried to help people to appreciate the performance." There was a comic side to this, which he could appreciate as much as anyone: "Readers began to think that whatever I didn't mention must have been something that should have been criticized." To omit was to condemn. From his friends in the ballet world he often heard a question about something he'd ignored: "Was it that bad?" Eventually he found the work dull and gave it up.

Takamado´s father, Prince Mikasa, was called the “red prince” by some as he was very scientific-minded and did not support so-called ancient imperial tradition. (There is no reason to believe, as far as I know, that he ever held explicitly socialist or communist views. I think it is rather the way of people who are very conservative themselves to call everybody a communist who happens to disagree with them.)

In 1955, Prince Mikasa began teaching about the Ancient Middle East at a Christian College, the Tokyo Women´s university. Specializing in Judaism and Christianity, Prince Mikasa was critical of the political use that was made of the Shinto myths and opposed the revival of the Kigensetsu – the prewar holiday celebrating the founding of Japan by the mythical first emperor Jimmu. The prince strode out of a general meeting of a historical society in disgust when a motion he had made that expressed opposition to Kigensetsu was ruled out of order. He said that as a member of the imperial family, a former army officer, and a scholar, he had a responsibility to denounce the prewar holiday as “without historical foundation”. A close friend said that the prince had worried over the fact that the emperor system had been exploited in prewar concepts of education. Prince Mikasa has been called a “thorn in the flesh of those who would like to turn the clock back and restore the imperial family to its old seclusion”. (Ottawa Citizen, July 11, 1958, “Japan´s Shy Son of Heaven”, via Googlenews)

It is important to mention that the debate about the Kigensetsu was highly political. The bill that was proposed to the Diet in the fifties was typical of the efforts of nationalists to return to the old pre-war ways. This sort of seemingly academic matters is also highly relevant in the present time. But after the shock of the defeat, it was possible in the fifties to say things in Japan that would be thought too controversial today.

 

[Mariel]

Thanks for all this interesting information. I don't know much about the Imperial family. But I recall seeing the palace in Tokyo when I stayed at a hotel near it. One of my husband's fondest memories was going to Japan for Boeing, where he was an engineer.
He loved his trip to the shrines in Kyoto, and I have a wonderful picture of one of the shrines on my wall, and I remember him every time I look at it. I hope the Crown Prince and Princess have as much fun in Holland as they did the last time they were there. Perhaps they can just stay there for a long time, and forget the trouble at home?

 

[Tuf Pic]

The connection of the Imperial Family to Amaterasu...

Dear Link the Zora:


I have wanted to say this for a while, but the popular western interpretation of the Showa Mikado's "denial of divinity" is WRONG...


Humanity Declaration - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,


While the following quote may sound arrogant,

It is permissible to say that the idea that the Japanese are descendants of the gods is a false conception; but it is absolutely impermissible to call chimerical the idea that the emperor is a descendant of the gods.

Notice that he never says outright that they are NOT DESCENDANTS OF THE KAMI, he merely says it is PERMISSIBLE TO SAY THEY AREN'T!!


Seems far less arrogant than this:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds (æons), Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father;

I mean, he can't be the ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD, because, weren't we all "made in God's image"?!


Also, check out this link:


BBC - Religions - Shinto: Divinity of the Emperor...


In addition, these quotes are from The Complete Idiot's Guide To The World's Religions:

Although there is no deity regarded as supreme over all kami, the sun goddess Amaterasu is accorded a high rank. Within Shinto, the emperor of Japan (whose temporal power has undergone many fluctuations over the centuries) is regarded as a direct descendant of Amaterasu.

It also mentions Hirohito's "renunciation off divinity", but only 1 time, ...&...


This is in "The Least You Need To Know" section, that concludes every chapter in "The Complete Idiot's Guide" series...

Preeminent among the innumerable kami is Amaterasu, the sun-goddess, regarded as the source of the dynastic line of Japanese emperors.[/U

All emphasis is by myself...


The Mikado can STILL BE A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF AMATERASU!!


I'm fairly confident he is!!


Thought you should know about all of this!!

In other words, he is still the high priest of Shinto, as well he should be!!


& the Imperial Family is STILL regarded as being directly descended from Amaterasu!!

 

[Jacknch]

Here is a link to a documentary posted on YouTube that I have never seen before. It is all in Japanese, but contains some remarkable footage of the Emperor and Empress relaxing at home. It is about half an hour long:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM1JJVqJJqo

 

[Blog Real]

Hi Abigail,

I wish I have seen this question of yours earlier

According to a Chinese online news article: ÈÕ±¾Ìì»Ê"»îÔÚÓã¸×Àï"-Öйú½ðÓãרҵÍø

Bascially it says:

The Imperial couple lives like an overstructured gold fishes living in a pot.

Every morning the couple gets up at 6:30am. They will then watch tv news and will also take a walk in the palace garden. The palace is situated in the centre of Tokyo city. There are occasionally guests. The palace itself can not be compared to the grandness of European palaces.

It is said that if the Emperor wants to go to another building in the palace complex he would usually walk. If raining, he would drive his fourteen year old Honda car. He persists to drive according to the driving rules, put on his seat belt, updating his licence every few years, though the avenues in the palace complex are all private.

After a busy day, in the night after everything else, they would either watch tv programs about natural ecology or video tapes about the same theme. They have neither dvds nor internet. They would also read newspapers and magazines.

Because of their busy life, they dont have much time to see their friends or for leisure. Their chef for over 10 years commented that if their majesties have one day in a week free, then it would be considered lucky. Their majesties belong to the generation of hard-working. They almost vew leisure and luxury as sinful.

The Emperor loves tennis and cello. However his greates interest has to be gobies (a type of fish). Ever since 1967, the Emperor has written 38 essays on gobies. This has made him an expert in gobies. This great interest comes from his youth when he would often visit his villa with his father to collect samples of gobies.

Once, the natural science organization of United Kingdom asked Akihito to give a speech on his research of gobies. The Emperor was grateful about this and humbly said "he feels he is not so qualified". The Empress during a press conference, once said "not so long after our engagement, the then Crown Prince chatted with me about fishes. He was able to give out very specific names of fishes such as Tilapia mossambica. I was so surprised by him!"

Another artical, which I could not find on the internet anymore says that the Empress gets up around 5:30 am every morning and would power walk in the palace straight after before breakfast is served.


According to this Chinese online news article: ÈÕ±¾ÃÀÖÇ×ӻʺóÔ¸ÍûÊÇѧÆï³µ_Ȥζʷ»°_Öйú¾*¼ÃÍø¡ª¡ª¹ú¼Ò¾*¼ÃÃÅ»§

On her 73th birthday press conference, the Empress said: one morning, during a walk in the palace garden, the Emperor and I discovered that the "job's tears" have rippened and so we picked some. We've decided to pick some every year so that when Princess Aiko is old enough, we can use them to play the game "making necklaces" with her.

Also the Empress said that Princess Mako and Kako are taking care of their little brother, Hisahito, like little mothers. They change his clothes with experience but also act a little mischevious, while the little Aiko would gently touch his little hands are quite a cute scene.

According to another Chinese article about Empress Michiko's background:
日本新华侨网 《日本新华侨报》——ä¸*日交流桥梁 在日华人家å›*平成皇后平民燕--美智å*çš‡åŽ

The article mentioned a bit about the then Miss Michiko Shoda's daily life:

Miss Michiko's daily life reflected an upper class maiden's lifestyle pattern.
Michiko was a student of the prestigious Tokyo Sacred Hearts School. This is a Catholic school which aims to polish every student into individual shiny diamonds with no residuals, developing them into a member of the upper society. Michiko remained a Buddhist.

Every morning, she went to school and came back home at 3pm. Then she would have afternoon tea followed by homework. Shoda family would have dinner at 6pm. At 8pm, Shoda family would be in their living room ready to listen to Michiko's mother's performance of Chopin and other famous composers' works on piano. Sometimes, the children would sing with the music.

Michiko's academic result was always amongst the top few. She was also interested in various school activities. She was chosen to be the school captain.

Michiko was a polite and sunny student. She was so excellent altogether to the point that once a teacher said to her: you are almost a perfect girl. perhaps your perfectness is your short-coming.

Every summer, the whole family would go to Karuizawa. At there, Michiko would indulge herself in the surrounding nature and tennis.

According to Times article: The girl from outside: Michiko loved playing tennis in Karuizawa. She would play almost everyday there. She also enjoyed dropping into the little village shops for rice balls and noodles—a passion that absorbed nearly all her monthly allowance of $2.78.

Also according to another article: Michiko loved mashamellows.

Forgot to mention that the Imperial Family only harvest from the Imperial farm. Milk, egg, vegetables. I'm not sure about grains and meat.

Thank you very much for all the information. This is very interesting information. It is very difficult to find information about these families. I find the Japanese Imperial Family very interesting, it's a very different family from the European royal families.