Sachiko, Princess Hisa

Sachiko, Princess Hisa (久宮祐子内親王, Hisa-no-miya Sachiko Naishinnō), was born on September 10, 1927, at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, Japan. She was the second child of Emperor Shōwa (also known as Emperor Hirohito) and Empress Kōjun (formerly Nagako). Her personal name was Sachiko, and her title was Hisa-no-miya, a designation given to her at her naming ceremony held shortly after her birth.

Her parents selected her name and title from three candidates; the name's origin traces to the classical Chinese text "Ekikyō" (易経). Her naming involved considerations of cultural and familial significance, with the characters sharing connections to her family members. Her older sister was Princess Shigeko, and she was the second of the Emperor's children; her younger siblings were born after her death.

At birth, Princess Sachiko was 50.8 centimeters (approximately 20 inches) tall and weighed 3,300 grams (about 7.28 pounds). Her early life included a bathing ceremony held on September 16, 1927, after which she was formally named, and she was presented with a protective sword crafted by Teiichi Tsukiyama, a notable swordsmith.

Her first public outing occurred on December 17, 1927, when Empress Kōjun visited the Imperial Palace of Emperor Taishō with her and Princess Shigeko, marking an early public appearance for the young princess.

In early 1928, Princess Sachiko's health was generally reported as satisfactory, and she was anticipated to participate in upcoming imperial festivities, including a significant festival scheduled around March 3, 1928. However, on February 27, 1928, she developed a high fever. Her condition deteriorated rapidly; symptoms included eczema exacerbation and swelling of the right submandibular lymph gland, with a diagnosis of pharyngeal catarrh. Despite initial reassurances from medical personnel, her health declined, and by March 4, her fever spiked again, leading to concerns of sepsis.

Her health crisis continued into early March; she experienced fluctuating symptoms, and on March 7, she was diagnosed with a complication of sepsis. She became critically ill during the early hours of March 8, 1928, and died at 3:38 a.m. at Akasaka Palace. She was 5 months and 27 days old at the time of her death.

Following her death, customary public mourning activities included funeral arrangements. Because she was under the age of seven, her funeral was conducted under regulations that called for a simpler ceremony, held on March 13 at Toshimagaoka Cemetery, with Yahachi Kawai serving as the chief mourner. Her remains were later visited by her parents and older sister on March 19, and her gravestone became a site of memorial observance.

Empress Kōjun expressed her grief publicly, recalling that she held a doll equivalent in weight to her daughter for some time afterward. In her memory, a charitable organization, the Keifukukai (now the Social Welfare Corporation Imperial Gift Foundation, Keifuku Childcare Association), established the "Late Princess Sachiko Hisa-no-miya Commemorative Child Protection Fund," which supported the development of infant protection facilities domestically and internationally.

Princess Sachiko's early death was marked by a nationwide period of mourning and restraint in public celebrations, reflecting her status within the Japanese imperial family. Her brief life remains documented as part of her family's history.