Tag Archives: Princess Kiko

Japanese Royals in Brazil

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Japan’s Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko travelled to Brazil last week  for an official visit related to the 140th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between these two countries. On Monday, January 27, 2014, the royal couple put a wreath at Commemorative Monument to Japanese Inmigration to Peru at Campo de Marte in Lima. Princess Kiko wore a smart white square-crowned hat with small upturned brim for this event.

Princess Kiko, January 27, 2014 | The Royal Hats Blog

Last Friday,  Princess Kiko payed homage to Argentina’s national hero Gen. Jose de San Martin in Buenos Aires. She wore a similarly shaped hat in black with a wide velvet band around the crown. Neither of these hats are particularly interesting- a slight disappointment after the vibrant and more daring hats we saw from the Japanese royal ladies at New Year (see here and here).

Princess Kiko, January 31, 2014 | The Royal Hats Blog

What do you think of these two hats?

Photos from Andino via Corbis and Corbis

Imperial New Year’s Poetry Reading 2014

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The annual ceremony of New Year’s Poetry Reading (Utakai Hajime) was held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The Japanese royal ladies attended this event in court dress, just as they did the annual New Years lectures last week.

Imperial Family, January 15, 2014 | The Royal Hats Blog

Empress Michiko, at far left, did not wear a hat. To her right is: Princess Kiko in a grey embroidered calot; Princess Hanako in a marvelous green pillbox wrapped in green fur (or maribou?) studded with wispy grey feathers; Princess Akiko in a pale pink calot; Princess Hisako in a royal blue bumper hat; and Princess Noriko in an embellished terra-cotta orange brimless pork pie hat. It is marvelous to see the ladies in some colour and hats with a bit of personality, isn’t it?!

Photo from The Imperial Family of Japan

Imperial Family Host Lectures

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The annual Ceremony of New Year’s Lectures was held today at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo (members of the Imperial family attended expert lectures in the fields of human, social and natural sciences). While Empress Michiko did not wear a hat, Princess Kiko wore a beautiful navy pillbox. I can not find record of Kiko wearing this hat previously so can only guess that it is new.

Princess Kiko, Jan 10, 2014 | The Royal Hats BlogCloseup photos of the other royal ladies do not appear to have been released. Princess Hanako was in forest green velvet with a coordinating hat that looks to be trimmed with a large green feather. I believe it is Princess Hisako in the vibrant turquoise hat and suit. The other hats appear to be de rigueur unadorned pillboxes in soft pastel colours.

Imperial Royal Family, Jan 10, 2014 | The Royal Hats Blog

The Imperial ladies were all in court dress (long gowns and hats) for this event. I suspect this is traditional dress- does anyone know exactly why?

Photos from The Imperial Family of Japan

Japanese Emperor Celebrates 80th Birthday

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The Imperial Royal Family celebrated Emperor Akihito’s 80th birthday yesterday with an appearance on the balcony of the Imperial Palace.

Japanese Royal Family, December 23, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog

Crown Princess Masako repeated a pale blue Breton style hat with flat crown and rolled brim, made in the same monochrome printed silk as her tailored dress. It’s a demure hat that looks quite good on her, especially with her hair back in a lovely chignon as she was wearing it today.

Princess Masako, December 23, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: Dec. 9, 2010; Dec. 22, 2009; Dec 23, 2005

Princess Kiko repeated her mint green pillbox hat. Her daughter, the Emperor’s oldest grandchild Princess Mako, wore a bumper hat with tightly upfolded brim (that, from the front, looks like a pillbox) in bright turquoise. I thought this hat, paired with her side swept hair and pearl jewelry, looked marvelously retro-chic on her. The vibrant colour made it my favourite of the day.

Princess Kiko, December 23, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog Princess Mako, December 23, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog

Designers: unknown
Princess Kiko’s Previous Wearing: December 23, 2006

Photos from The Imperial Family of Japan, Yuya Shinto/Reuters via Paris Match and BestImage via Pure People

Wrapping up the Japanese Imperial Tour of India

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Last week, the Japanese Imperial couple spent the week on tour in India. On Wednesday, December 4, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the Kalakshetra Art Academy in Chennai. The Empress debuted a new hat, in her signature ‘saucer’ shape. This hat, one of Michiko’s larger saucers in white, was trimmed with silk orange blossoms and green leaves. I thought it was quite delicate and looked rather pretty on the Empress.

Empress Michiko, December 4, 2013 | The Royal Hats BlogThe Imperial couple returned to Japan on Friday. Empress Michiko repeated the dove grey saucer hat with charcoal grey origami flower she wore while on the Indian tour.

Empress Michiko, December 6, 2013 | The Royal Hats BlogDesigner: unconfirmed
Previously Worn: December 2, 2013

As is tradition, they were greeted at Haneda International Airport by other members of the Imperial family (from right: Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako, Prince Fumihito, Princess Kiko, Princess Mako, Princess Hanako, Princess Akiko and Princess Hisako). I’m not sure I have ever seen so many blue small brimmed royal hats at the same event…. I wonder if a memo was sent requesting all the Imperial ladies to wear a blue hat?!

Imperial Royal family, December 6, 2013 | The Royal Hats Blog

Photos from FNN and The Imperial Family of Japan