Princess Mako of Akishino

This article is about the Japanese princess. For other uses, see Mako (disambiguation).
Mako
眞子内親王

Princess Mako during the New Year Greeting in 2015
Born (1991-10-23) 23 October 1991
Hospital of the Imperial Household, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Full name
Mako (眞子)
House Imperial House of Japan
Father Fumihito, Prince Akishino
Mother Kiko, Princess Akishino
Occupation Researcher at the University of Tokyo museum[1]

Princess Mako of Akishino (眞子内親王 Mako Naishinnō, born 23 October 1991) is the first child and oldest daughter of Fumihito, Prince Akishino and Kiko, Princess Akishino, and a member of the Japanese Imperial Family. She is the eldest grandchild of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

Biography

Princess Mako was educated at the prestigious Gakushūin School in her Primary, Girls' Junior and Senior High School years. She studied English at the University College Dublin for one month in 2010.[2] She had an informal talk with President of Ireland Mary McAleese as a trainee and visited Northern Ireland.[3]

Princess Mako graduated from the International Christian University in Mitaka, Tokyo on 26 March 2014 with a Bachelor's degree in Art and Cultural Heritage.[4][5] She obtained a Japanese national certification in curation as well as a driver's licence while she was an undergraduate student.[6][7][8] On 17 September 2014, she left for the United Kingdom where she studied museology at the University of Leicester for a year,[9] receiving a Master's degree in Museum Studies in January 2016.[10] She also studied art history at the University of Edinburgh for nine months, from September 2012 to May 2013.[11][12][13][14]

She has been something of an internet idol since 2004, when images of her in sailor fuku appeared on television. An image repository was set up, and a video featuring fanart of Princess Mako was uploaded onto the popular video-sharing website Nico Nico Douga, attracting over 340,000 views and 86,000 comments. The Imperial Household Agency, responding to a request for comment, stated that they are not sure how they should handle this phenomenon, since they see no signs of slander or insults against the Imperial Family.[15]

In August 2006 she visited Vienna, Austria for two weeks on a school-sponsored homestay program. She stayed in the home of an Austrian man who was a colleague of Tatsuhiko Kawashima, her mother Kiko's father. Because Mako is interested in art and architecture, she visited the museums, St. Stephen's Cathedral and Schönbrunn Palace.[16][17] Accompanied by her father, she participated in her first official function, a religious ceremony at the Ise Shrine, later that year.[18] Princess Mako has a younger sister, Princess Kako, and a younger brother, Prince Hisahito.

In 2011, Mako came of age and was conferred Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown on 23 October. Since then, she has been attending official events as an adult member of the Imperial Family.[19]

In July 2011, she worked as a volunteer in the affected areas of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami without revealing her identity.[20]

She is able to communicate using Japanese Sign Language and is interested in the deaf community, like Kiko, Princess Akishino, her mother.[21]

She became the project researcher of the University of Tokyo's museum on 1 April 2016.[22]

Titles and styles

Mako is styled as Her Imperial Highness Princess Mako of Akishino.

Honours

See also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country

National honours

Ancestry

References

  1. "「研究部」". The University Museum, The University of Tokyo (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 September 2016.
  2. "Japanese royal to spend time in Dublin studying English". The Irish Times. June 18, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  3. "「眞子さま、アイルランドから帰国 」". The Nikkei (in Japanese). August 15, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  4. "Princess Mako Graduates University". The Royal Forums.
  5. "Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino and their family - The Imperial Household Agency". kunaicho.go.jp.
  6. "「眞子さま、国際基督教大学をご卒業 「感謝しています」 」". Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). March 26, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  7. 「〈眞子さま〉国際基督教大学を卒業「一生の思い出の4年間」 Mainichi Shimbun March 26, 2014
  8. "Princess Mako celebrates her graduation from university". Royalista.
  9. "Princess Mako leaves for one year of study in England ‹ Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion". japantoday.com.
  10. "Japanese Princess attends graduation ceremony". Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  11. "Japan's Princess Mako to study at Edinburgh University". deadlinenews.co.uk.
  12. "Princess Mako describes life at British university as 'fruitful' - The Japan Times". The Japan Times.
  13. "Hosting royalty". ed.ac.uk. 4 June 2013.
  14. "眞子さまが9月に英国ご留学". MSN Sankei News (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. August 3, 2012. Archived from the original on December 19, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  15. "ネットで大人気「眞子様萌え」! 宮内庁は困惑気味?". Yahoo! Netallica. 15 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008.
  16. 「眞子さまがホームステイ 夏にオーストリアへ」 Hokkaido Shimbun July 11, 2006 10:44
  17. 「世界遺産の宮殿を見学 ウィーンで眞子さま」 Chugoku Shimbun August 12, 2006
  18. "Princess Mako off to Austria". The Japan Times.
  19. "Japan's Princess Mako turns 20 and becomes newest adult member of Imperial Family". Telegraph.co.uk. 24 October 2011.
  20. 眞子さま、身分を隠しボランティア活動「実際に行ってみないとわからない…」
  21. "Image of Mako sign language".
  22. 5:00
  23. Régine. "Les 20 ans de la princesse Mako du Japon". Noblesse & Royautés.
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"Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Akishino and their family". Imperial Household Agency. 

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