Masako Sen

Masako Sen (born October 23, 1951), formerly known as Princess Masako of Mikasa (容子内親王, Masako Naishinnō), is a former member of the Imperial House of Japan. She is the daughter of Takahito, Prince Mikasa, and Yuriko, Princess Mikasa. She holds Japanese nationality by birth and was part of the imperial family until her marriage.

Education:

As a child, Masako Sen attended Gakushuin Elementary School. She continued her education at Gakushuin Women's Secondary School. She subsequently enrolled in Gakushuin University, where she studied in the Department of Japanese Language and Literature within the Faculty of Letters. After completing three years of university study, she was sent abroad to a boarding school in Switzerland. She later transferred to the University of the Sorbonne in Paris, France, for higher education.

Marriage and Family:

On October 14, 1983, Masako married Masayuki Sen, born in 1956, who is the elder son of Sōshitsu Sen XV. Upon marriage, she relinquished her imperial title and left the Japanese Imperial Family, in accordance with Imperial Law. She adopted her husband's surname, becoming Mrs. Soshitsu Sen. Her husband became the sixteenth hereditary grand master (Iemoto) of the Urasenke school of Japanese tea ceremony in December 2002, succeeding his father.

The couple has three children:

- Akifumi Kikuchi (born November 10, 1984), whose surname was officially changed from "Sen" to "Kikuchi" in 2014; he passed away on August 20, 2024.

- Makiko Sakata (born July 11, 1987), who married Munehiro Sakata in 2017.

- Takafumi Sen (born July 6, 1990).

Official Activities:

Masako Sen has been involved with Soroptimist International (SI), a global volunteer organization advocating for women's and girls' empowerment. She served as President of the Soroptimist International Kyoto Club in 2006 and again in 2016. In 2012, she was elected as the 14th Governor of Japan's Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) Chuo Region. In March 2018, she was elected Chair of the Soroptimist Japan Foundation.

Titles and Styles:

- From October 23, 1951, until her marriage on October 14, 1983, she held the title Her Imperial Highness Princess Masako.

- After her marriage, she has been known as Mrs. Soshitsu Sen.

Honors:

She has received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown, a national honor awarded by Japan.

Ancestry:

Masako Sen’s lineage traces back to the Imperial House of Japan through her parents, Prince Mikasa and Princess Yuriko, and extends to her Japanese heritage and noble family connections.

References:

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