Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa and her family

Photo Description
Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Mikasa and their family
Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Mikasa look through a photo album (on the occasion of their 70th wedding anniversary; at the Residence of Their Imperial Highnesses)
His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa
Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Mikasa view the 63rd Exhibits, the Museum of the Imperial Collections, Sannomaru Shozokan "Childhood clothing worn by His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa - tokens of Empress Teimei's affection" (July 29, 2013)

His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa passed away on 27 october 2016.

His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa, who specialized in ancient oriental history as a research student at the Faculty of Literature at Tokyo University after the war, participated in the Society for Near Eastern Studies in Japan, which was established in 1954.

His Imperial Highness was appointed President of the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, which was established in Mitaka City in 1975, and from July 2005 served as Honorary President.

His Imperial Highness had conducted lectures of "Ancient oriental history" at Tokyo Woman's Christian University and Aoyama Gakuin University, and also had conducted special lectures in a capacity as visiting professor to the Faculty of Fine Arts at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts & Music from 1985 to 2002.

During this period His Imperial Highness has made visits to about 30 countries, on official visits, as a participant to international scholars' meetings and for the purposes of researching historical landmarks. In November 1991 he was appointed as a foreign associate of the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles-lettres and in June 1994 he was appointed as Honorary Fellow of The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa always accompanies His Imperial Highness on trips overseas and expends great efforts on furthering friendly relations with foreign countries. As for surveys of historical landmarks, Princess Mikasa has aided Prince Mikasa by collecting data in the form of films and slides for His Imperial Highness's lectures.

In 1948 Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa was appointed President of the Imperial Gift Foundation Boshi-Aiiku-kai and had attended a wide variety of events in Tokyo and regional Japan, where she had offered her encouragement to a variety of people who were concerned with mother and child health and heard their situations. In September 2010 Her Imperial Highness resigned from her position as the President.

On June 4th, 2023, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mikasa turned 100 years old.

She is currently living a peaceful life, praying for the happiness of the people, and rejoicing the growth of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Tomohito of Mikasa
The Prince and Princess Tomohito of Mikasa at home
(Photo: Yoichi aoyagi)
Their Imperial Highnesses Prince Tomohito of Mikasa and Princess Akiko
Prince Tomohito of Mikasa and Princess Akiko watch a folkdance performance of Kirsehir Province at the Kaman Kalehoyuk camp, during the "tour of the heritage of Turkey."
(Photo: Imperial Household Agency)
Her Imperial Highness Princess Tomohito of Mikasa
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa attends the 19th International Roses and Gardening Show
(Photo: The Mainichi Newspapers Co.)
Her Imperial Highness Princess Tomohito of Mikasa
Princess Tomohito of Mikasa views a rose garden in Higashisawa Park, Murayama City, in Yamagata Prefecture.
(Photo: Murayama city)
Her Imperial Highness Princess Tomohito of Mikasa delivers an address at the Opening Ceremony of the 22nd Ninaite (bearers of agriculture) Summit in Shizuoka Prefecture.
(Photo:Shizuoka Prefecture)

His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito passed away in the Sasaki Institute Kyoundo Hospital on 6 June 2012. He was 66 years old.

His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito of Mikasa engages in a broad range of activities, including work in the fields of welfare for persons with disabilities, sports promotion, youth education and improving international friendly relations.

In particular, in addition to active work in giving guidance to the physically and intellectually disabled in living more independent lives through sports such as skiing, bowling, dancing and running, His Imperial Highness was actively involved in both educational and practical measures to enhance lives and promote the independence of the severely disabled and those with incurable illness, such as muscular dystrophy, to help build a social basis from which people with disabilities and people without disabilities can live together. To this end, His Imperial Highness often gave lectures and contributes articles to national newspapers and magazines, and has also authored seven books.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Tomohito of Mikasa was born on 9 April 1955, as the third daughter of the late Takakichi Aso. After graduating from the Sacred Heart School in Tokyo, she studied at Rosslyn House College, UK. She has two daughters, Princess Akiko and Princess Yohko.

Princess Tomohito is involved with the Japan Red Cross’s activities as Honorary Vice-President of the Japanese Red Cross Society. She also is Honorary President of Jikeikai, President of the Japan Rose Society, Honorary President of the Doyo Society of Japan and Honorary President of the Japan Building Maintenance Association and International Judo Federation Ambassador.

Princess Tomohito contributes sports promotion through “NSCA Japan (NSCA : National Strength and Conditioning Association)”. Also, she is involved in a wide range of initiatives supporting restoration and rebuilding, welfare for the disabled, nutrition education, and positive youth development through organizations such as the “Princess N Project” and “AJU Center for Independent Living (AJU : “Ai no Jikko Undo (the Movement for Action of Love))”. And at “Women’s Healthcare Awareness & Menopause Network Society”, she has been trained and certificated as a “Special Counselor for Female Health Problems” by the Society. She responds women, who need consultation, at a menopause age all around Japan on the helpline.

Entrusted by H.I.H. the Crown Prince, current H.M. the Emperor, Princess Tomohito is contributing the development of Japan’s agriculture by attending "Ninaite (bearers of agriculture) Summit", hosted by the National Chamber of Agriculture, fostering the agricultural management development and the regional agriculture promotion through discussing and exchanging ideas by enthusiastic farmers.

Princess Tomohito is also passionate about cooking, and has published two books of recipes, “Shiki no katei ryori (home cooking through the seasons)”, from Kobunsha, and “Omoide no saki niwa itsumo katei ryori (memories are made of home cooked meals)”.In these books, she mentions her compassion for farm producers in Fukushima and other disaster areas of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

In December 1992 Their Imperial Highnesses visited the United States to support a newly established cancer ward in the New York Medical College and His Imperial Highness made a keynote address at a charity ball. In May 1994 Their Imperial Highnesses visited Hawaii and attended a charity dinner in Hawaii for the reconstruction of Kuakini Hospital.

In February 1994 Their Imperial Highnesses traveled to Norway to attend the opening ceremony of the 17th Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer and view various events.

In July 1994, Her Imperial Highness visited Australia to offer her support to the Sydney Royal Research Institute for those with Visual and Listening Disabilities, where His Imperial Highness Prince Katsura had served as Executive Committee Chairman. There she attended a charity ball, which Prince Tomohito had been planning for four years, organized through the volunteer spirit of the Japanese living in Australia.

In May 1998 Their Imperial Highnesses visited Turkey at the invitation of the Government of Turkey to attend ceremonies relating to the Turkey-Japan Foundation Cultural Centre (opening ceremony and reception), where they also attended an official government welcome ceremony and a dinner hosted by the President of Turkey.

In July 2003, in her position as Honorary President of the Japan Rose Society, Her Imperial Highness attended the World Rose Convention and related events in the city of Glasgow in the United Kingdom.

In April 2003, His Imperial Highness visited Norway accompanied by his daughter, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko. In Norway they attended the 40th Anniversary of Ridderrennet, World Cross Country Ski Championships for the Visually Disabled, accompanying Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway.

In January 2001, His Imperial Highness was involved in the establishment of the Fund-raising Committee for the Construction of a Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology at the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan. His Imperial Highness has taken part in domestic fundraising activities and in October 2002, June 2003 and October 2003 he personally planned and led three groups of benefactors, which totaled over 200 people, to Turkey on a tour of the heritage of Turkey. In June 2003, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko also accompanied His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito on the tour.

In November 2017, Her Imperial Highness visited the Kingdom of the Netherlands to attend 2017 Junior Chamber International World Congress in Amsterdam.

In September 2018, Her Imperial Highness visited Italy to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Italian Association for Japanese Studies.

In February 2020 , Her Imperial Highness visited France to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2020 Judo Grand Slam Paris and watched matches as an International Judo Federation Ambassador.

In August 2023, the Princess visited Hungary with the International Judo Federation invitation to be present at Hungary Masters 2023 as an IJF Ambassador.

In July 1998, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko visited Turkey for the first time to view the remains of Kaman Kalehoyuk, arranged by the Middle Eastern Culture Center in Japan, of which Prince Mikasa serves as Honorary President. Princess Akiko visited many heritage sites on her visit to Turkey.

From October 2004 to January 2010, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko studied at Merton College, the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. She returned to Japan in January 2010 after passing an oral examination for her doctorate.
She was granted her D. Phil. From the University of Oxford in June 2010.

In July 2010, Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko also joined the "Visit to the Dedication Ceremony of the Museum of Archaeology Kaman Kalehoyuk, Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology," which His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito had planned to coincide with the dedication ceremony for the aforementioned museum, which was accomplished as a result of the Japanese Institute of Anatolian Archaeology Construction Fund.

In January 2011, Her Imperial Highness visited the Republic of Austria to attend the 19th INTERSKI Congress in St. Anton.

In September 2018 Her Imperial Highness visited Turkey to attend the ceremony of appointment as President of the Prince Mikasa Foundation. She also attended a luncheon hosted by President Erdogan of Turkey and visited the remains of Kaman Kalehoyuk.

From 2009 to March 2012 Her Imperial Highness worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the Kinugasa Research Organization of Ritsumeikan University. From April 2012 to March 2014 she worked as a Guest Associate Professor at the same organization. From April 2015 to March 2018 Her Imperial Highness worked as a research fellow at the Institute of Japanese Culture, Kyoto Sangyo University.Since April 2018 she has been working as a professor at the same organization.

Her Imperial Highness Princess Yohko worked at the Japanese Red Cross Society from December 2006 to November 2012.

Her Imperial Highness has taken on the activities that were so dear to her father His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito, including welfare for persons with disabilities, sports promotion and youth education, and is continuing these activities.

December 2019, she visited the Republic of the Union of Myanmar at the invitation of the State Counsellor to observe the state of the country.

Princess Akiko and Princess Yohko came of age in December 2001 and October 2003 respectively and attend official ceremonies at the Imperial Palace.