The oldest member of the Imperial Family, Princess Yuriko Mikasa Living in a turbulent first century June 1 at 6:2

Princess Yuriko, the oldest member of the Imperial Family, will celebrate her 6th birthday on June 4.

After getting married, as an imperial family, you have lived through the turbulent first century of the Showa era, Heisei era, and Reiwa. I asked my grandson, Akiko Mikasa, and other people with whom I have been friends for many years.
(Social Affairs Department Reporter Kanami Hashimoto / Ayui Takahashi)

"Baseball lover" watches WBC games on TV

This January, Princess Mikasa's Yuriko attended the New Year's public pilgrimage and appeared in good spirits.

He married the late Prince Mikasa, the younger brother of Emperor Showa, and had five children.

She is the aunt of the Emperor.

Akiko Mikasa, the eldest daughter of her eldest son, Tomohito, who passed away in 24, gave an interview to NHK at the end of May and talked about her grandmother, Yuriko.

Ms
. Akiko: "To put it in really rough terms, I always look at Her Imperial Highness the Princess (Yuriko) that I want to grow old like that. I always talk to them."

In the interview, Yuriko also revealed how she lives in her daily life.

Akiko
: "Usually, you read books and magazines, do crossword puzzles and jigsaw puzzles, and enjoy having fun at your desk. He also likes baseball, so I heard that he watched the WBC until late."

Yuriko said that she watched the WBC = World Baseball Classic game of baseball, where the Japan became the world's number one, on TV.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, he also likes to watch TV and watch news programs and baseball broadcasts.

As a member of the Imperial Family, Yuriko served for many years as president of the Mother and Child Love Association, and as honorary president of the Association for the Promotion of Ethnic Costume Culture, which works to popularize kimono.

Yasuai Mizushima, president of the Association for the Promotion of Ethnic Costume Culture, said the following about Yuriko's personality.

Yasuai Mizushima, Chairman
of the Association for the Promotion of Ethnic Costume Culture: "As honorary president, he encouraged many people over the years. I like fruit, so I gave her a fruit basket for her birthday."

Married at the age of 18

Yuriko was born on June 12, 1923 (Taisho 6), as the second daughter of Viscount Takagi Masatoku and his wife, a member of the House of Peers.

Yuriko, who graduated from the main course of the Women's Gakushuin, decided to get married in 4 (Showa 16).

His opponent was Mikasa-no-miya, the youngest brother of Emperor Showa.

Yuriko looks back on those days as follows.

Yuriko-sama
: "Really, I wondered what it was for a while at first, but I didn't know. My father also seemed to be in a lot of pain. Everyone was stunned. It was such a surprising connection. So, it looks like it was frozen, all of the Takagi family. I declined about three times, but I still didn't hear it. Even so, it was like "desperate death" (laughs)" * From "Prince Takahito Mikasa" (Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

They were married on October 16, 1941. Mikasa-sama was 10 years old and Yuriko was 22 years old.

The world was excited about the wedding ceremony of the imperial family for the first time in 26 years, and at that time, some magazines featured Yuriko.

Together during and after the turbulent war

Shortly after marriage, the Pacific War begins.

In 18 (Showa 1943), when his eldest daughter, Yasuko, was in the womb, Mikasa-no-miya was posted to Nanjing, China, as an army staff member.

The following year, he returned to Japan and served as a staff member of the Grand Headquarters.

In May 20, the Mikasa-no-miya residence, where he lived, burned down in an air raid.

Yuriko had evacuated to an air-raid shelter with Mikasa-no-miya and Yasuko, who was one year old at the time. After that, they were forced to live in an air-raid shelter for a while.

After the war, life changed completely.

Mr. Mikasa, who was a soldier, went on to study history and served as a lecturer at several universities as an expert in the history of the Ancient Orient.

Yuriko supported Mikasa-no-miya's research activities.

Akiko Minato, who served as Mikasa-no-miya's assistant at Tokyo Women's University in 30 (Showa 1955), recounts an episode in which Yuriko prepared the text of Mikasa-no-miya's lectures.

A student taking the lecture told me that one sentence was too long to follow the content.

Ms
. Akiko Minato, former president of Tokyo Women's University, said, "I was in charge of correcting Professor Mikasa's lecture notes after receiving a consultation from a student, but one day the sentences were already shortened and I thought, 'Oh, that's beautiful!' There was a time when I thought. In fact, I heard from Dr. Mikasa-no-miya that Her Imperial Highness had sorted it out. I imagine that your children were small and had a difficult time. She said, 'Yuriko also says that the sentence is too long.' The teacher was always busy with suits and ties, but he often said, "Because Yuriko chose it." Perhaps Her Imperial Highness herself does not know, but she always spoke of Her Imperial Highness in front of you in such a casual manner, and she loved her deeply."

5 children

Yuriko had three sons and two daughters with Mikasa-no-miya, including her eldest daughter * Yasuko and her eldest son Hirohito, who was nicknamed "His Highness of the Beard".

There will be eight great-grandchildren, including the children of Prince Takamado's third daughter, Ayako Moriya.

【Eldest daughter: ※Yasuko】 (* Yasu = "heart" and "for" in the crown)
Born
on April 19, 1944 (Showa 4), in December 26, married Mr
. Tadashi Konkan, younger brother of former Prime Minister Gohee Hosokawa and honorary president of the Japan Red Cross Society (* "Teru" = "Fire" and "Army")

[Eldest son: Tomohito]
Born on January 41, 1966 (Showa 12) Died

in June 21 [Second son: Mr. Yoshihito (Katsura-no-miya)]
Born

on February 1946, 1 (Showa 5) Died

[Second daughter: Yoko (Masako)]
Born
on October 2012, Showa 6 (23), in October of Showa 1948 (2), married

to Mr.
Sensomuro of the tea ceremony Urasenke family [Third son: Norihito (Prince Takamado)] Born
on December 11, 26 (Showa 2014) Died in November 6

Thoughts on Mr. Mikasa-no-miya

Mr. Mikasa-no-miya passed away in 28 at the age of 2016.

Two years earlier, at the beginning of the New Year's Singing Festival, Yuriko sang about her days with Mikasa-no-miya, who had reached the age of 100.

"I can't believe that I will be with you and Hakuju and live such quiet days."

In response to Yuriko's feelings for Mikasa-no-miya, a book was published last year.

Akiko served as the chairman of the publication committee for a biography of Prince Mikasa, "Prince Takahito Mikasa."

Akiko served as a listener to Yuriko's oral history for her beloved "grandmother," and it was compiled into more than 1300,<> pages.

Ms
. Akiko: "I have heard that Her Imperial Highness wants to properly shape and leave the footprints of Her Imperial Highness, so I feel that I have desperately put together a picture over the past few years that I must give shape to it at all costs. I want you to know as much about your grandfather as possible, so I think I just talked too much.'

Professor Mariko Ito of Gakushuin University, who was involved in the publication of the biography with Akiko, said that Yuriko's skillful narration was impressive.

Mariko Ito, Visiting Researcher, Gakushuin University
: "Her Imperial Highness the Queen's talk seemed to convey the scene and temperature at that time, and she brought the listener to the spot in an instant. He wrote a diary of his own and five children's parenting, and his hobby of haiku made me think that he is observant, likes to write, and has a researcher temperament. When I told you that there was a fire coming out of the tent where Her Imperial Highness was present when I visited on official business, she said, "But since it is a tent, it is okay because you can get out of it from anywhere," and I think you have encountered various situations in the past, but she always spoke with an open mind and humor. Her Imperial Highness seemed to be really enjoying herself when she talked about Her Imperial Highness. As the interviews continued, he seemed to become more energetic and youthful, and I felt that the memories with His Imperial Highness were the source of his energy and that those were important days."

Princess Mikasa and Yuriko have supported the Imperial Family for many years.

Akiko described Yuriko's existence as follows.

Ms
. Akiko: "I feel that Her Imperial Highness was the key to the Mikasa-no-miya family. I am truly glad that he is still doing well and peacefully, as a grandson. I am truly very happy to have the time to talk to Her Imperial Highness, and I have learned a lot from casual conversations, and for me, both as a member of the Imperial Family and as a person, Her Imperial Highness is like a guide, so I would like to hear many stories from her in the future."

Reporter
Kanami
Hashimoto, Social Affairs DepartmentAfter joining the National Tax and Judicial Bureau
in 2010, she is currently in charge of the Imperial Household Agency.

Social Affairs DepartmentReporter
Ayui TakahashiJoined
the Bureau in 2014 After working at the Matsuyama Bureau, he has been in charge of coverage of the new coronavirus, medical care, gender,
and the imperial family.