Fusako Kitashirakawa

Fusako Kitashirakawa (北白川 房子, Kitashirakawa Fusako), born Fusako, Princess Kane (周宮房子内親王, Kane-no-miya Fusako Naishinnō), was born on 28 January 1890 in Tokyo, Japan. She was a member of the Imperial Family as the eleventh child and seventh daughter of Emperor Meiji and Lady Sono Sachiko, who was Emperor Meiji's fifth concubine. Her childhood title was "Kane no miya."

On 29 April 1909, Fusako married Prince Naruhisa Kitashirakawa (1887–1923), the son of Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa and Princess Tomiko. Prince Naruhisa became the head of the house of Kitashirakawa-no-miya following the death of his father in November 1895, which occurred during the First Sino-Japanese War.

Fusako and Prince Naruhisa had four children: one son and three daughters. Their son was Prince Nagahisa Kitashirakawa (19 February 1910 – 4 September 1940), also known as Higashikuni Nagahisa Ō. Their daughters included Princess Mineko Kitashirakawa (6 May 1911 – 10 March 1970), who married Viscount Tachibana Tanekatsu; Princess Sawako Kitashirakawa (21 October 1913 – 1 July 2001), who married Viscount Higashizono Motofumi; and Princess Taeko Kitashirakawa (15 March 1920 – 5 November 1954), who married Tokugawa Yoshihisa, the son of Kuniyuki Tokugawa.

In October 1947, pursuant to restructuring during the Allied occupation of Japan, the Kitashirakawa branch of the Imperial Family, along with other non-patronal branches besides the patrilineal descendants of her half-brother, Emperor Taishō, was stripped of its imperial titles and privileges, reverting to the status of commoners.

Following this change, Fusako served as the custodian and chief priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine until her death. She died on 11 August 1974 at the age of 84.