TOKYO - Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress, attended an event marking Horse Day, where she enjoyed hands-on experiences with horses.
Aiko arrived at the Japan Racing Association’s Equestrian Park in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward on Tuesday afternoon, greeting the association’s chairman and other officials with a smile.
Horse Day is a commemorative occasion established by the Japan Racing Association to coincide with Animal Welfare Week, offering citizens a variety of opportunities to engage with horses.
At the day’s event, horses performed shows up close to the audience, while staff from the Imperial Household Agency’s stables division demonstrated “Horohiki,” in which a 10-meter cloth is unfurled and carried along by galloping horses.
Aiko also watched a riding performance by junior and senior high school students, applauding enthusiastically as the riders skillfully controlled their horses’ speed.
Later, she met with Kazuma Tomoto, a bronze medalist in team eventing at the Paris Olympics. She congratulated him warmly, saying, “Congratulations. I saw your performance on television, and the cross-country event was amazing.”
When the sound of a horse grinding its teeth was heard nearby, Aiko asked with a smile, “Is that the sound of nervous teeth-grinding?” Tomoto explained, “Yes, this horse is still young, only eight years old.”
Known for her love of animals, Aiko also encouraged participants and performers, commenting cheerfully, “So energetic,” and “It was wonderful to see how perfectly in sync you were—it was really enjoyable to watch.”
Source: TBS
