Princess Aiko, daughter of the Emperor and the Empress, had her 19th birthday on Tuesday.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, Princess Aiko was deeply impressed with the smooth completion of all rituals related to the Emperor's enthronement, after the Rikkoshi-no-rei ceremony on Nov. 8 proclaimed that Crown Prince Akishino is the first in the line to the throne.
Through the series of rituals, Princess Aiko learned the long history and tradition of the Imperial family as well as its attitude of sharing joys and sorrows with the people, the agency said. Now with just under a year to go before she becomes an adult member of the Imperial family, Princess Aiko is contemplating her official duties as she witnesses in person every day how earnestly the Emperor and the Empress deal with their official duties.
When she graduated from Gakushuin Girls' Senior High School in March this year, Princess Aiko read such books as "Genji Monogatari" (The Tale of Genji) and "Makura no Soshi" (The Pillow Book), and wrote a graduation report titled, "Heian Jidai no Neko to Inu: Bungaku Sakuhin wo Toshite" (Cats and dogs in the Heian Period: Through literature).
Since April, when she entered the Department of Japanese Language and Literature at Gakushuin University's Faculty of Letters, Princess Aiko has been taking online lessons at the Akasaka Imperial Palace due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
According to the agency, Princess Aiko sometimes exchanges opinions with or receives advice from the Emperor and the Empress as she writes reports, or prepares for or reviews her classwork.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
