Japan emperor, empress visit Kodomonokuni Park in Yokohama

April 12, 2019

Yokohama--Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited Kodomonokuni, a park in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, on Friday, two days after the couple marked their 60th wedding anniversary.

After arriving at the 100-hectare park around 11 a.m. (2 a.m. GMT), the Emperor and the Empress saw nature and facilities there with smiles, aboard the "Akapoppo-go" park bus.

The park was opened on May 5, 1965, as a project to celebrate the marriage of the couple on April 10, 1959.

The park was built as Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, then Crown Prince and Crown Princess, wished for money gifts sent from across the country to celebrate their marriage to be used for a facility for children.

The couple have visited the park with their children many times. The Emperor has paid visits 11 times, including the latest one, and the Empress 14 times.

In December 2009, after the 50th anniversary of their marriage, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the park with their eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, and Crown Princess Masako, Prince Akishino, the second son, and his family, and Sayako Kuroda, the youngest child and the only daughter of the couple, and her husband. They had a good time by, among other things, boarding a miniature steam locomotive train.

The couple's visit on Friday came ahead of the Emperor's abdication on April 30. Crown Prince Naruhito is set to ascend to the throne on May 1. Jiji Press