Hisako, Princess Takamado (憲仁親王妃久子, Norihito Shinnōhi Hisako) (born Hisako Tottori (鳥取久子, Tottori Hisako); 10 July 1953), is a member of the Japanese Imperial Family as the widow of Norihito, Prince Takamado.
Background and education
Hisako was born on 10 July 1953 in Shirokane, Minato, Tokyo. She is the eldest daughter of Japanese industrialist Shigejiro Tottori. Her mother, Fumiko Tottori (née Tomoda), died on 18 July 2023 at the age of 96.[1] Hisako accompanied her father to England, where he was transferred for work, and while still a child became fluent in the English language. She subsequently graduated from Girton College, Cambridge in 1975 with undergraduate degrees in anthropology and archaeology. On her return to Japan, she obtained a position working for a translation company, but soon returned to England to learn about legal terminology used in statutes. She returned to Japan again in 1982. After her return, she was hired to assist Prince Mikasa as an interpreter and assistant at the 31st International Asian-North African Cultural Symposium. Princess Takamado received a PhD in arts from the Osaka University of Arts in February 2012.
Marriage and family
On 23 April 1984, she attended a reception hosted by the Embassy of Canada in Tokyo, where she first met Prince Norihito of Mikasa, grandson of Emperor Taishō. He proposed on 20 May and the Imperial Household Council announced the engagement on 1 August 1984. The formal engagement ceremony made on 17 September 1984, and the wedding held on 6 December 1984. They have three daughters:
Princess Tsuguko (承子女王, Tsuguko Joō, born 8 March 1986 at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo)
Princess Noriko (典子女王, Noriko Joō, born 22 July 1988 at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo); following her marriage to Kunimaro Senge, a commoner, on 5 October 2014, Princess Noriko gave up her imperial title and left the Imperial Family as required by 1947 Imperial Household Law, took the surname of her husband and became known as "Noriko Senge" (千家典子, Senge Noriko).[2]
Princess Ayako (絢子女王, Ayako Joō, born 15 September 1990 at Aiiku Hospital in Tokyo); following her marriage to Moriya Kei, a commoner, on 29 October 2018, Princess Ayako gave up her imperial title and left the Imperial Family as required by 1947 Imperial Household Law, took the surname of her husband and became known as "Ayako Moriya" (守谷絢子, Moriya Ayako).[3]
Public life and activities
Princess Takamado during the 21st Pacific Science Congress in Okinawa (June 2007)Princess Takamado presenting the Prince Takamado Trophy to the captain of the winning team at the 2013 Prince Takamado Cup U-18 Soccer League Championship (15 December 2013)Princess Takamdo at an opening ceremony of TEDxTokyo 2009 (22 May 2009)Princess Takamdo on the way to the castle church at the Stockholm Palace before the Wedding of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O'Neill in Sweden (8 June 2013)
Prince and Princess Takamado were the most widely traveled couple in the Japanese Imperial Family, visiting 35 countries together in 15 years to represent Japan on various functions. The Prince's last visits included Egypt and Morocco in May 2000, Hawaii in July 2001 (to promote the Japanese tea ceremony), and to South Korea from May to June 2002. The latter was in order to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan. The goodwill visit by the Prince and Princess to Korea was the first Japanese imperial visit since World War II, and was an important step in the promotion of friendly bilateral relations between Japan and South Korea.[4] While in South Korea, the couple toured the country extensively, met with President Kim Dae-jung and ordinary South Koreans, and he visited the facilities for the physically disabled in South Korea that the Princess Masako Nashimoto had sponsored.[5]
Prince Takamado died of ventricular fibrillation while playing squash with the Canadian ambassador, Robert G. Wright, at the Canadian Embassy, leaving a widow and three young daughters on 21 November 2002 at the age of 47. Since the Prince's death, Princess Takamado has been extremely active in a very large number of charitable organizations involving sports, cultural exchange and the environment, taking on all of the posts formerly held by her late husband, as well as numerous new posts. Since November 2002, the princess has served as the Honorary President of the Prince Takamado Trophy, All Japan-Middle School English Oratorical Contest.[6]
In March 2004, the Princess was elected to succeed Queen Noor of Jordan as honorary president of BirdLife International.[8] In November 2004, she visited Bangkok, Thailand, to attend the 3rd IUCN World Conference as honorary president of BirdLife International. She visited Montevideo, Uruguay in 2008, and Buenos Aires, Argentina for the Birdlife World Conservation Conference. During this visit, she attended special high goal polo exhibition played by the Novillo Astrada brothers in her honor at the La Aguada Polo Club.
In June 2005, she visited Germany to attend the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, attending matches between Germany against Argentina, and Japan against Brazil. Afterwards, she visited Jordan to attend the royal wedding of Princess Badiya bint El Hassan. In November of the same year, returned to England for the Global Council Meeting of BirdLife International. In January 2006, she returned to Canada to attend the opening of the "Prince Takamado Gallery of Japan" at the Royal Ontario Museum. She also returned to Germany later that year in order to attend the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
In March 2020, Princess Takamado underwent surgery for acute appendicitis at the University of Tokyo Hospital.[12] On 17 March, she was discharged after checking and verifying that the operation had gone well.[13]
In November 2022, it was announced that Princess Takamado had tested positive for COVID-19 and would be convalescing at her residence. Her symptoms included fever and sore throat.[14][15][16]
Bibliography
The Princess is the author of two children's books published in English; Katie and the Dream-Eater (OUP, 1996) and Lulie the Iceberg (OUP, 1998).
Titles and styles
Mon of the Takamado branch of the Imperial Family
Since her marriage, Hisako is styled as Her Imperial Highness The Princess Takamado.[7]
^"Princess Noriko marries son of Izumo Taisha priest, relinquishes royal status". 5 October 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
^Regan, Helen; Wakatsuki, Yoko (29 October 2018). "Japan's Princess Ayako surrenders her royal status as she marries for love". CNN. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^"Japanese royals make symbolic trip to Seoul". BBC News. 30 May 2002. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj"Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado and her family". The Imperial Household Agency. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
^"Princess Takamado becomes BirdLife's Honorary President". BirdLife International. 13 March 2004. Archived from the original on 4 April 2004. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
^"Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado Visit to Edmonton : Consulate-General of Japan in Calgary". www.calgary.ca.emb-japan.go.jp. Retrieved 2019-09-28.
^"Japan Princesses Hisako, Tsuguko to Attend Royal Wedding in Jordan". Nippon.com. 9 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
^"Japan's Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko Attend the Jordanian Royal Wedding". Town & Country. 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
^"高円宮妃久子さま、急性虫垂炎で手術へ 東大病院に入院" (in Japanese). Asahi.com. 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
^"虫垂炎で手術の久子さま、ご退院" (in Japanese). The Sankei News. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
^"Princess Hisako becomes fifth member of imperial family to contract COVID-19". The Japan Times. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^"Princess Hisako tests positive for novel coronavirus". The Japan News. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
^"Princess Hisako becomes 5th COVID-19 case for Japan imperial family". Kyodo News. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
^ a bHisako wearing Red Cross Medals
^Boletín Oficial del Estado
^"Ikebana International". Archived from the original on 2016-07-11. Retrieved 2009-01-29.
^Ikebana International Archived 2008-12-28 at the Wayback Machine
^Ikyf
^JVA
^"Honorary Vice-Presidents". Japan Red Cross Society. Archived from the original on 27 July 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hisako, Princess Takamado.
Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado and her family at the Imperial Household Agency website