Empress Michiko, who is Honorary President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, presented the Florence Nightingale Medal Awards on Wednesday in Tokyo. For this ceremony, the Empress repeated the white saucer hat with blue twist trim we saw her first début last week. This event gives us a better view of the hat, which I think is a wonderful compliment to her slate blue and white suit.

Designer: my guess is Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: July 26, 2015

Photos from Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun via Getty

After returning to Tokyo earlier this week, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Toyota factory in Toyota City. The purpose of the visit was to see steps in the production of the “Mirai”, Toyota’s car powered by hydrogen fuel. Empress Michiko repeated the hat she débuted early last month, thankfully providing us a much better view.

Made up of stacked white and grey flat disks, the bottom grey disk is covered in silver fishnet which lends a subtle sheen to the piece. The hat is trimmed with a flat white and grey bow behind which are tucked some silk leaves and flowers. From the closer view I have tried to provide below, the hat is much more adorned than many of the hats Michiko has worn in recent years.

Designer: unknown. Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: June 3, 2015;  May 26, 2015

While I love to see Michiko’s hat style expanding by even the tiniest of steps, I’m a little perplexed by the choice of this particular piece with her boldly patterned hound’s tooth check coat. The Empress has a number of hats with hound’s tooth check trims (see here, here, and here) and I would have expected her to pair this coat with one of those hats, which would have coordinated more directly.

Photo from Asahi Shimbun via Getty

On Sunday,  Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan visited the Akasaki Institute at Nagoya University. The Empress wore a new white saucer hat trimmed with a wide twist of the same slate blue silk crepe as her suit. The twist is a bolder trim than we usually see on Michiko’s hats and brought a sense of whimsy to the piece.

Designer: likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: this hat is new

Yesterday, Their Imperial Majesties attended the opening of the XIX INQUA Congress, held this year in Nagoya.  For this event, Empress Michiko repeated her black hat with bronze bow. She does not wear many metallic hats and this one, which coordinates well with her suit, is a nice departure from her go-to grey.

Designer: likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: June 17, 2015

I’m always happy to see the Empress take even tiny step of experimentation with her millinery and these two pieces are slightly different than what we usually see her wear. What are you thoughts on these two hats?

Photo from Sankei and Sankei

This morning, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the 45th annual memorial service for the 66,000 civil sailors who perished during World War II.  For this event, the Empress repeated her grey double saucer hat trimmed with a simple grey bow. When it comes to demure dress and hats, no one tops Empress Michiko and her ensemble struck just the right chord for this event.

Designer: Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: May 16, 2015

Photo from Asahi

The Japanese Imperial couple welcomed Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino on state visit to Japan today. For the official welcoming ceremony held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Empress Michiko repeated the white and grey saucer hat she premièred just a week ago. In white silk to match the lapel as her suit, Michiko’s saucer hat was trimmed with silk flowers and a small grey under brim that peeked out beneath a flat bow around the front of the hat. Interestingly, when the Empress first wore her grey suit in mid-May, it was with a different piece of millinery (and she débuted this hat it was paired with a different suit!). With a wardrobe of numerous white and grey hats, it is no surprise to see a little mixing and matching from time to time.

Designer: unknown. Likely Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: May 26, 2015

Photos from Sankei and Asahi