Kunimaro Senge

Kunimaro Senge (born September 2, 1973) is a Japanese Shinto priest and currently serves as the acting Chief Priest of Izumo Taisha Shrine. He was born in Shimane Prefecture as the eldest son of Soju Senke, the 84th head of the Izumo family.

Career

Born on September 2, 1973. After graduating from Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School, he completed the Shinto Studies Department at Kokugakuin University Faculty of Literature in March 1996 (104th class). Following university graduation, he was employed at Nogi Shrine from April 1996.

His subsequent workplaces include Iwashimizu Hachimangu Shrine from April 2001 and Izumo Taisha Shrine from March 2005. In November of the same year, he was appointed as the head of the Izumo Shrine's rebuilding preparations office and the secretary of the Izumo Shrine Rebuilding Support Association. He has also held positions such as Kannushi (Shinto priest) and Head of the Festival Department at the shrine.

Relationships with the Imperial Family

In April 2007, Princess Hisako Kuni and their eldest daughter, Princess Noriko, visited Izumo Taisha Shrine. During this visit, he met Princess Noriko for the first time. Subsequently, they began dating, and as their relationship progressed toward marriage, considerations were made given that Princess Noriko was attending Gakushuin University and the necessity for her to fulfill official duties as a full-fledged member of the Imperial Family. Their relationship developed gradually.

On May 27, 2014, the Imperial Household Agency announced the engagement between Princess Noriko and Prince Kuni Kenshin, the second son of Prince Kuni Takahiko. On the same day, they held a press conference together in the Imperial Household Agency’s First Conference Room. On September 7 of that year, he was promoted to Acting Chief Priest of Izumo Taisha Shrine, and they held their wedding ceremony on October 5.

Personality and Hobbies

His hobbies include bird watching and photography. His mother-in-law, Princess Hisako, serves as the Honorary President of the international environmental NGO "BirdLife International," and his biological father, Soju Senke, also serves as a Special Advisor to the Japanese branch of the organization. Through these hobbies, connections between the two families have been fostered.

Lineage

His father is Soju Senke (the 84th head of Izumo family), and his mother is Reiko Senke (daughter of Katsuaki Ono). He has two brothers: Eldest brother Seihiko Senke and second brother Tokuhiro Senke. His wife, Noriko, is the second daughter of Prince Kuni Kenshin, Prince Kuni.

References

Book: "Heisei New and Old Aristocratic Lineage Compilation," Volume 1 (Kasha Kaikan edited, Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 1996), p.786.

External links

- Facebook profile: Kunimaro Senge (100005746385569)