Society

Princess Aiko Visits Imperial Tombs Solo

TOKYO, Apr 25 (News On Japan) - Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, made her first solo visit to the tombs of the Showa Emperor and Empress Kojun on Thursday, to report her graduation from Gakushuin University and her new employment at the Japanese Red Cross.

The visit to the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachioji, Tokyo, took place around noon, where Princess Aiko paid respects at the Musashino Mausoleum, resting place of the Showa Emperor. This was her first visit since July 2014, when she visited with her parents at the time of her enrollment at Gakushuin Girls' Junior High School.

Dressed in a gray long dress suitable for the visit, with a hat and holding a fan, Princess Aiko gracefully walked up the approach to the shrine. She offered a tamagushi (ritual offering) with deep reverence. Following this, she also visited the adjacent tomb of Empress Kojun at Musashino East Mausoleum.

The visit on April 25th was to inform of her university graduation and the commencement of her career at the Japanese Red Cross. Last month, Princess Aiko had also visited the Three Palace Sanctuaries within the Imperial Palace, the Ise Grand Shrine in Mie Prefecture, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu and considered the ancestor of the Imperial Family, and the tomb of Emperor Jimmu in Nara, the legendary first emperor of Japan. Earlier this month, on April 11th, she had greeted the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita at the Sento Imperial Palace.

Source: 日テレNEWS

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