Ayako Takeuchi (Viscountess)

Ayako Takeuchi (born May 31, 1872 (April 26, 1872, Meiji 5) – July 26, 1946 (Showa 21)), was a Japanese princess and a noblewoman. Her birth name was Princess Ayako, and she was treated as a member of the imperial family at birth. Her father was Prince Chichibu Kuniyoshi, and her mother was Mankiko Izumi. She was from the Kuni family and was the fifth daughter of Prince Chichibu Kuniyoshi.

The Kuni family was a branch of the imperial family, and their relations are as follows: her father, Prince Chichibu Kuniyoshi, was the father of Emperor Akihito, the 125th Emperor (and grandfather of the current Empress). Her mother, Mankiko Izumi, was of royal descent.

In terms of kinship, Princess Ayako had the following full siblings: Princess Eiko, Princess Akiko, Princess Hiroko, Princess Sonoko, Princess Kaiko, and Princess Shizuko. Princess Eiko was the wife of Viscount Moriai Higashisono; Princess Akiko was the wife of Marquis Nokatsu Ikeda; Princess Hiroko was the fourth daughter; Princess Sonoko was the wife of Viscount Masataka Sengoku; Princess Kaiko was the wife of Count Motoyoshi Mibu. Her half-sisters included Tomi-no-miya, Take-no-miya, Kai-no-miya Kuninori (the first Kai-no-miya), Taka-no-miya, Naga-no-miya, Moromasa-no-miya (the third Moromasa-no-miya), and Princess Junko (wife of Viscount Hidetoshi Oda); also, Prince Nishinomiya, Prince Asaka Hiko, and Prince Takahiko Kayo.

After marriage, she married Viscount Kanetada Takeuchi, and they had several children. Their eldest son was Viscount Iji Takeuchi, their second son was Viscount Kinji Takeuchi, and their eldest daughter was Chiyoko Hasegawa, who became the wife of Hikusaburo Hasegawa.

Reference materials include the second volume of *Heisei Shinshu Kōzoku Kakei Taisei* (Ancestry Compilation of the Newly Edited Imperial Nobility of the Heisei era).