Hanako, Princess Hitachi

Hanako, Princess Hitachi (正仁親王妃華子, Masahito Shinnōhi Hanako), was born Hanako Tsugaru (津軽華子, Tsugaru Hanako) on July 19, 1940. She is a member of the Japanese imperial family through her marriage to Masahito, Prince Hitachi, who is the younger son of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and the only brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito. As the wife of Prince Hitachi, she is the aunt of Emperor Naruhito.

Early life and education:

Hanako was born at the Tsugaru family residence in Tokyo. She is the fourth daughter of Count Yoshitaka Tsugaru (1907–1994), the last representative of the Tsugaru clan and an adopted son of the daimyō of the Tsugaru Domain, located in present-day Hirosaki, Aomori. Her father was originally from the Owari branch of the Tokugawa clan and belonged to the aristocracy established by the Meiji Restoration, known as kazoku. Her mother was Hisako Mōri (1911–2004), a descendant of the Mōri clan and the former daimyō of Chōshū Domain in Nagato Province (now Yamaguchi Prefecture).

Hanako attended the Gakushūin School, a prestigious institution established for training members of the imperial family and aristocracy, for her primary, junior high, and high school education. She graduated from Gakushūin Women's Junior College in 1961.

Marriage:

Hanako met her future husband, Prince Masahito, during her studies at Gakushūin. The Imperial Household Council announced their engagement on February 28, 1964, and the engagement ceremony was held on April 14, 1964. Their wedding took place on September 30, 1964. Prior to her marriage, she was the last eligible imperial bride to marry into the Imperial Family before the end of World War II. Upon marriage, Prince Masahito was granted the title Prince Hitachi (Hitachi-no-miya) and authorization from the Imperial Household Economy Council to establish a new branch of the Imperial Family.

As per tradition, upon her entry into the imperial family, she received a personal emblem (o-shirushi), which is the Rhododendron subg. Hymenanthes (Shakunage). The couple has no children. Since December 1976, they have resided in a palace situated in large grounds off Komazawadori in Higashi, Shibuya, Tokyo.

Public service:

Princess Hitachi was elected on September 5, 2007, by her fellow members of the imperial family to serve as one of their main representatives on the Imperial Household Council. She was re-elected on September 7, 2011. In 2017, she was diagnosed with lumbar spondylosis and was hospitalized for treatment. She made her first public appearance after an 11-month absence in April 2018.

She holds positions as president of organizations involved in welfare and the arts. Additionally, she has translated children’s books from English into Japanese, including titles such as "The Eighty-Ninth Kitten" by Eleanor Nilsson (1987), "The Most Obedient Dog in the World" by Anita Jeram (1996), "It was Jake" by Anita Jeram (1997), and "A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up" by Caroline Arnold (2001).

Titles and honours:

Her official title is Her Imperial Highness Princess Hitachi. She has received national honours such as the Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown, the Dame of the Decoration of the Red Cross, and the Red Cross Medal. Internationally, she was awarded the Member of the Order of the Benevolent Ruler by Nepal on April 19, 1960.

Honorary positions:

Princess Hitachi is a member of the Imperial House Council and holds honorary presidencies in various organizations, including the Japan Ikebana Art Association, the Japan Animal Welfare Society, the Japan Equestrian Federation, the Nippon-Latin American Ladies' Association, and serves as an honorary vice-president of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Ancestry:

Princess Hitachi's family lineage includes descent from old feudal aristocracy on both sides. She is a second cousin once removed of the late Princess Takamatsu, whose family was descended from the Tokugawa clan of Mito. She is also related to Princess Chichibu and has multiple cousin relationships within Japanese aristocratic families. Her most recent common ancestor with Emperor Naruhito is Ōgimachisanjō Kinnori (1774–1800), a senior courtier. Consequently, she is a fifth cousin of the current Emperor and his siblings, as well as a fourth cousin once removed and a fifth cousin to Yuriko, Princess Mikasa.

References:

External links:

Their Imperial Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi at the Imperial Household Agency website.