Crown Princess Masako to Inherit Sericulture Tradition

May 11, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese Crown Princess Masako has expressed her hope to inherit the Imperial tradition of sericulture from Empress Michiko, sources in the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.

Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and Princess Aiko, their only child, are slated to visit the Imperial Palace, the residence of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, on Sunday to view a sericulture facility at the palace in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward with the Imperial couple, the sources said.

According to the sources, an aide to Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, who live in the Togu Palace in neighboring Minato Ward in the Japanese capital, met with the Empress late last month at the Imperial Palace and informed her of the Crown Princess' hope to succeed the tradition of sericulture.

The Empress explained how silkworms are being raised to the aide, who then viewed the sericulture facility in the Imperial Palace, the sources said.

The Imperial tradition of sericulture, was initiated by Empress Shoken, the wife of Emperor Mutsuhito, who was on the throne between 1867 and 1912 and posthumously called Emperor Meiji, and has since been succeeded by later Empresses.

Since earlier this month, Empress Michiko has been carrying out her last act of sericulture, ahead of Emperor Akihito's abdication on April 30 next year.

The Empress apparently thinks that Crown Princess Masako, who is in the process of recovering her health, may engage in sericulture as far as she can.

In May next year, silkworms in the Imperial Palace will be taken care of by Imperial Household Agency officials because a series of events related to Crown Prince Naruhito's ascent to the throne are slated in the month, according to the sources. Jiji Press