Princess Aiko Makes First Visit to Shiga

Aug 21, 2026 | News On Japan

SHIGA - Princess Aiko made her first visit to Shiga Prefecture on August 21, touring facilities previously visited by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, viewing exhibits at the Lake Biwa Museum and trying the Paralympic sport of boccia for the first time.

Wearing a light blue pantsuit, Princess Aiko arrived at the Lake Biwa Museum in Kusatsu, where she learned about species that inhabit Japan's largest lake.

At an exhibit allowing visitors to look up at the giant Lake Biwa catfish from below, a senior curator asked her to look overhead and explained that the fish can be distinguished by features on its underside.

"Is the color of the belly different? Is the pattern different?" Princess Aiko asked. The curator replied that both the color and pattern differ.

Her museum visit also included an unscheduled stop at a special exhibition after she learned that specimens collected by Emperor Emeritus Akihito were on display.

Shiga has particular significance for the Imperial couple. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited the prefecture in 1993, two months after their marriage.

Crowds also gathered in Ryuo on August 21, with many people waiting for more than two hours along the roadside for a glimpse of Princess Aiko.

"I wanted to see Princess Aiko's face just once. My heart is pounding," one person said. Another said, "Just seeing her smiling and waving makes me happy. I'm happy simply to see her face."

Princess Aiko later visited a disaster prevention center, where she spoke with local volunteer firefighters and others involved in community safety.

In the afternoon, she traveled to a medical and welfare center in Maibara that Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited in 2018 when they were Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

There, Princess Aiko participated in boccia, a Paralympic sport in which competitors throw or roll red and blue balls in an attempt to place them as close as possible to a white target ball.

Spectators cheered when one of her shots landed extremely close to the target.

Princess Aiko was due to return to the Imperial Palace on the evening of August 21 after completing her two-day, one-night visit to Osaka and Shiga.

Source: KTV NEWS

LDP-Backed Koja Wins Okinawa Governor Race

Genta Koja, a former deputy mayor of Naha who accepts the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to Henoko in Nago, won the Okinawa gubernatorial election on September 13, defeating incumbent Governor Denny Tamaki and bringing an end to 12 years of prefectural administrations committed to blocking the project.

Flooding Hits Fushimi Otesuji Shopping Street in Kyoto

Roads around the Fushimi Otesuji Shopping Street in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward were flooded on the evening of September 13 after water began gushing from a nearby road, forcing authorities to close part of the street to traffic.

Cybercab Arrives in Japan

Tesla unveiled its Cybercab in Japan for the first time on September 11, showcasing an AI-powered autonomous taxi designed without a steering wheel or pedals.

China Raises Visa Fees for Japanese Travelers Sevenfold

China will sharply raise visa fees for Japanese nationals entering the country from September 14, with the cost of a single-entry visa increasing to 16,750 yen, about 7.4 times the current level.

Tada Shrine is First in Kansai to Go Bankrupt

Tada Shrine in Kawanishi, Hyogo Prefecture, has filed for protection under Japan's Civil Rehabilitation Act, becoming the first shrine in the Kansai region and only the third nationwide to enter bankruptcy proceedings, according to Teikoku Databank.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Two Girls Found With Fake Student IDs in Kabukicho

Tokyo police have found that two teenage girls detained during coordinated patrols in the "Toyoko" area of Kabukicho were carrying forged student identification cards containing false ages and names.

Lost Camera Shows Rough Seas Before Shiretoko Boat Disaster

Newly recovered video from a passenger's digital camera has revealed conditions aboard the Kazu I sightseeing boat before it sank off Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula in April 2022, a disaster that left 20 passengers and crew members dead and six passengers still missing more than four years later.

Yakuza Mastermind Rearrested Over Smartphone Robbery

Police have rearrested a 30-year-old senior member of an organization affiliated with the Sixth Yamaguchi-gumi on suspicion of directing a loosely organized criminal group that stole smartphones and other goods worth about 4.15 million yen from stores in Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures.

Growing Theft of High-End Bonsai Leaves Growers Fuming

High-end bonsai are being stolen from gardens across Japan in a growing series of thefts, with some trees later appearing on social media overseas and industry officials saying more than 100 cases are now reported each year.

Three Arrested Over Suspected Underground Bank for Chinese Clients

Three people have been arrested in Kyoto on suspicion of operating an unlicensed underground banking service for Chinese clients, with police believing the group handled transactions worth about 600 million yen in total.

Two 14-Year-Old Cyclists Arrested After Wheelie Ride Ends in Bus Collision

Two 14-year-old junior high school students in Aichi Prefecture have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing traffic while performing dangerous bicycle stunts linked to group rides known on social media as Nagoya Ride.

Myanmar Workers Allege Violence at Hokkaido Farm

Seven Myanmar nationals working at an agricultural corporation in Hokkaido under Japan's Specified Skilled Worker status have accused their employer of repeated violence, intimidation and financial penalties, with some workers saying they were also called by numbers instead of their names and threatened with having their residence status revoked.

Police Investigate Possible Dispute Behind Deadly Cake Shop Attack

Police are investigating whether a dispute between a 70-year-old man and the female owner of a cake shop in Motosu, Gifu Prefecture, was connected to a murder and arson case that left three people dead and two others injured during a middle school reunion.

< 2 3 4 5 >