Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko departed Haneda international airport in Tokyo yesterday en route to a week long official visit to India. Empress Michiko wore one of her regular petite saucer hats, this one in cream, trimmed with a black and cream silk bow. I believe this hat is a new one.
The Imperial couple were seen off by their sons and daughter-in-laws. Princess Kiko wore a chocolate bowler hat trimmed with a black ribbon around the crown (another new hat, I believe) while Crown Princess Masako wore a dove grey wool hat with square crown, rolled brim and grey ribbon around the crown. Paired with her suit, I thought Masako’s hat (which I suspect is also new) looked great on her.
Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko’s daughter, Princess Mako of Akishino, also was on hand to bid farewell to her grandparents. Mako wore a squared version of her mother’s bowler hat, with a slightly more upturned brim.
Photos from Corbis, AFP Photo/Toru Yamanaka via Channel News Asia; and Toru Yamanaka via Getty
Royal Hats 
I love Princess Masako’s hat and also Princess Mako’s. To me, Princess Kiko’s hat had too much crown and not enough brim.
more pics
and Princess Mako of Akishino?
Japanese royals decided to illustrate your post about bowler hats 😉
A coincidence with great timing!
Thanks so much for these additional links. You’ll see them updated in this post!
I love all of these hats and outfits! I love Crown Princess Masako’s hat best. The bowler hat is super cute on Princess Kiko. I really like Empress Michiko’s outfit, but oh how I wish her hat had been a cream colored pillbox with a cute little black bow. The Imperial ladies look very elegant here.