Category Archives: Japan

Emperor Naruhito Celebrates Birthday

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Members of the Imperial royal family greeted visitors from the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo yesterday on the emperor’s 63rd birthday.

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Empress Masako arrived in a vibrant blue velvet pillbox.

Princess Aiko wore a blush silk covered hat with short, upturned Breton brim trimmed with a triple pleated, draped hatband and bow at the back. It’s a piece that at closer view, I suspect, would show exquisite balance and beauty.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: This hat is new

Crown Princess Akiko repeated a bumper hat covered in pale citrusy green patterned silk jacquard.

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Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Dec 23, 2015

Princess Kako repeated a draped turquoise silk bandeau headpiece trimmed with a folded side bow appliqued in the same beaded lace as her gown.

Embed from Getty Images

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Jan 13, 2023; Jan 18, 2022

It’s lovely to see this tradition return for the first time during Emperor Naruhito’s reign.

Images from Getty as indicated 

Imperial New Years Lectures and Poetry Reading

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The 2023 New Year’s Lectures and Poetry Readings took place last week at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

January 13: Ceremony of the Kousho Hajime (New Year’s Lectures)

Crown Princess Kiko repeated an ink blue velvet covered wide bandeau trimmed with embroidered lace applique flowers on one side.  Princess Kako repeated a bandeau of the same shape draped in turquoise silk.

Princess Kiko’s bandeau was previously worn: Feb 23, 2022; Feb 23, 2020
Princes Kako’s bandeau was previously worn: Jan 18, 2022

Princess Akiko repeated a palest yellow silk covered saucer with raised brim around the back, trimmed with a draped hatband and bow. Princess Yoko wore a sleek new pillbox covered in vibrant cerise silk.

Princess Akiko’s hat was previously worn: Dec 5, 2021

Princess Hisako and Princess Tsuguko repeated silk covered hats. Princess Hisako’s bumper, in muted pink printed jacquard, features an indented crown and twist on one side. Princess Tsuguko’s pistachio green pillbox with triple layered sash across the top of the hat embroidered with the same vine pattern as on the collar of her gown. The lily-of-the-valley blooms that originally embellished this hat but were removed for its last outing have magically appeared again!

Princess Hisako’s hat was previously worn: Feb 23, 2020; Feb 24, 2019;
Princess Tsuguko’s hat was previously worn: Mar 23, 2021; Feb 23, 2020; Oct 25, 2019; May 4, 2019

January 18: Utakai Hajime (Imperial New Year’s Poetry Reading)

Crown Princess Kiko repeated a blush silk jacquard printed bandeau with folded cuff across the front. The design is trimmed with organza flowers on one side.

Previously Worn: Nov 16, 2019

Princess Kako wore a new royal blue silk covered percher trimmed with a swirl of crin studded with silk roses. The updated neckline on her gown and new hat transform this ensemble into one much more sophisticated than its original form, a great evolution for a maturing princess. Kako suits the scale and placement of a percher so well.

Previously Worn: this hat is new

Princess Nobuko topped a plum velvet gown with a matching boater hat with brim raised on one side, anchored by a large silk flower.

Previously Worn: I believe this hat is new

Princess Akiko repeated a cream silk covered hat with short brim and triple layered hatband.

Princess Hisako repeated a striking teal silk pillbox hat trimmed with intricate embroidery around the side of the design along with feathers and a silk ribbon cockade. It’s worth noting that the matching gown bodice and sleeves have been remade. Princess Tsuguko’s blue silk covered hat with trilby-style raised brim around the back has also been changed since it’s last outing. Gone is the previous hatband of silk leaves, replaced with a more streamlined and angular hatband and a swath of net veil.

Princess Hisako’s hat was previously worn: Jan 14, 2016;
Princess Tsuguko’s hat was previously worn: Mar 26, 2021; 

There are some striking looks here- which ones stand out to you most?

Images from social media as indicated 

Milliner Profile: Ahko Hirata

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This week, Princess Aiko stepped out in a hat with floral trim. The floral trim was a Goyo azalea, Aiko’s personal emblem, incorporated into the hat’s design by Japanese milliner Ahko Hirata.

Fellow royal follower and expert on the Imperial royal family, Prisma, shared this week that the wonderful waved royal blue hatband Empress Masako wore on November 13 to the National Sea Enrichment Festival in Hyogo was also Ahko Hirata’s design. Hirata also designed the first hat Masako wore as empress on May 4, 2019, a wonderful yellow silk bumper with hatband beaded with a diagonal rising sunbeam motif.

 

Ahko Hirata was not on my radar and should have been- her late father was the first Japanese milliner to train in couture techniques in Paris and was Empress Michiko’s go-to milliner for decades. Ahko’s aesthetic, not surprisingly, is different than her father’s designs, but no less impeccable or memorable. This profile gives a glimpse into her millinery story.

Catching-Up with the Imperial Royals

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October 9, 2022: Princess Tsuguko in a dark green hat with short saddle brim and side spray of feathers to visit the Sakura City Museum 

October 31, 2022: Princess Hisako toured a glamping site in Takanezawa in an ecru brimmed hat with side spray of burgundy feathers. 

November 2, 2022: Princess Nobuko attended a Red Cross convention in a streamlined ivory hat with upturned kettle brim. Later in November, she was diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer and began treatment- we all wish her the very best and a full restoration of health. 

November 4, 2022: Princess Akiko attended a university’ anniversary celebration in an oatmeal hued hat with brim and diagonally striped hatband.

November 8, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a white silk covered brim hat for the anniversary of a national recreation program

November 12, 2022: Crown Princess Kiko arrived in Oita Prefecture in a dark burgundy bowler shaped hat trimmed with a rose made up of the same fabrics as the hat and her tweed suit. 

November 12, 2022: Princess Akiko wore a deep grey flared brim cloche with mulberry hatband for a health and welfare festival in Kanagawa. 

November 13, 2022: Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 41st National Sea Enrichment Festival in Hyogo Prefecture. Empress Masako wore a cream brimmed hat with royal blue hatband whimsically trimmed in a wave shape. Brilliant!

November 13, 2022: Crown Princess Kiko attended the 45th National Tree Growing Festival in Oita in an oatmeal fabric covered bowler-style hat with tall, horizontally stitched hatband. 

November 21, 2022: Members of the Takamado family attended a ceremony at Toshimagaoka Cemetery to mark the 20th anniversary of Prince Takamado’s death. Princess Ayako, now Ayako Moriya, attended with her husband and elder son Jo. Former Princesses Yasuko and Masako also were in attendance. 

November 22, 2022: Princess Hisako attended a Red Cross event in a repeated ivory brimmed hat with pale lilac slim hatbands and a net veil wrapped crown. 

November 26, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a deep green hat with black hatband and high, upturned brim edged in braid to mark the centenary anniversary of the Japanese Scout Association. 

December 3, 2022: Princess Tsuguko wore an ivory hat with jaunty stitched brim for to open a youth forum. 

December 5, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a dark burgundy felt brimmed hat with wide diagonal striped hatband for an award ceremony for persons with disabilities.

December 9, 2022: Empress Masako repeated a pale blue silk covered pillbox for a visit to Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emeritus Michiko on her 59th birthday.

December 23, 2022: Empress Masako repeated an ice blue silk jacquard covered hat to visit Emperor Emeritus Akihito on his 89th birthday.

December 29, 2022: Princess Kako wore a vibrant red hat with floral trim to visit the Emperor and Empress and her grandparents, the Emeritus couple, on her birthday. 

 

Empress Masako’s hat with wave-shaped blue hatband is the standout here for me! Which hats here catch your eye?

Images from Getty as indicated  

Imperial Royal Hats Last Week

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It was another busy week of hats for the women in the Imperial Royal family last week:

For an October 23 Nobel Prize lecture on water sustainability, Princess Hisako wore a ruby bumper hat.

On Wednesday, October 26, Crown Princess Kiko wore a simple black brimmed hat for a memorial event in Tokyo. The same day, Princess Hisako attended an interior design show in a green suit and ecru braid hat trimmed with green flowers and buds on the side.

Empress Masako wore a pale beige brimmed hat with cafe au lait hued silk hatband for the GEA International Conference on Thursday, October 27

Princess Kako attended a series of rites at Wakamiya Shrine on Friday, October 29 in an ivory bumper hat with bow at the back.

On Saturday, October 29, Crown Princess Kiko wore an ivory hat with double brim – one covered in the same fabric as her suit- for the opening of a Sports Festival.

Also on October 29, Princess Akiko of Mikasa stood out at a rugby match in a red brimmed hat with black hatband and ecru spray of feathers on one side.

Princess Hisako paid a 2-day visit to Tochigi Prefecture October 30-31 to attend the National Sports Festival for Persons with Disabilities. On the first day of the visit, she wore a black hat with short, curved brim trimmed with a feather on the side.

For the closing ceremony on Monday, October 31, she wore a pale grey hat with shallow crown, trimmed with a lighter grey hatband and curving spray of burgundy feathers on the side.

Princess Hisako arrived for a 2-day visit to Hiroshima on Saturday, November 5, to attend events for the 8th Special Olympics Japan Summer National Games. On this day, she wore a pale grey silk covered hat with ruched wide hatband trimmed with an ornate silver buckle.

On Sunday, November 6, Princess Hisako wore another smart grey felt hat, this one with flared crown and upturned brim. This design is trimmed with purple and grey stacked hatbands and a purple and grey plaid bow at the side.

Do any hats stand out here for you?

Images from social media as indicated