Jump to content

Sayako Kuroda

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by HIDECCHI001 (talk | contribs) at 18:43, 16 April 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Princess Sayako
紀宮清子内親王
Princess Nori
Sayako Kuroda (then Princess Nori)
at Expo 2005, 3 August 2005
Born (1969-04-18) 18 April 1969 (age 55)
Hospital of the Imperial Household, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Spouse
Yoshiki Kuroda
​
(m. 2005)​

(黒田慶樹 Kuroda Yoshiki)
(1965-04-17) 17 April 1965 (age 59)
Names
Kuroda Sayako (黒田 清子)
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherEmperor Akihito
MotherEmpress Michiko
ReligionShinto
OccupationShinto priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine
Researcher of Tamagawa University Education Museum

Sayako Kuroda (黒田清子, Kuroda Sayako, born 18 April 1969), formerly Sayako, Princess Nori (紀宮清子内親王, Nori-no-miya Sayako Naishinnō), is a Shinto priestess. She is the youngest child and only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan. She held the appellation "Nori-no-miya" (Princess Nori),[1] until her marriage to Yoshiki Kuroda on 15 November 2005. As a result, she gave up her imperial title and left the Japanese Imperial Family, as required by law.

Education and career

Princess Sayako studied at and graduated from the Department of Japanese Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters, Gakushuin University, with the Bachelor of Letters degree in Japanese Language and Japanese Literature in 1992. Later in the year she was accepted as research associate at the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, where she specialized in the study of kingfishers.[2] In 1998, she was appointed researcher at the same institute. She contributed articles about birds to various academic works.

Apart from her research, she has traveled extensively abroad and within Japan, as a representative of the Imperial family.

Marriage and change in status

On 30 December 2004, the Imperial Household Agency announced the engagement of Princess Nori to the 40-year-old Yoshiki Kuroda, an urban designer with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and longtime friend of Prince Akishino.[3] Upon her marriage, which took place at the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo on 15 November 2005, Princess Nori left the Imperial Family, taking the surname of her husband; he is the first non-aristocratic commoner to marry an Imperial Princess. This change in her status is mandated by the Imperial Household Law of 1947 that requires females of the Imperial Family to relinquish their title from birth, official membership in the Imperial Family, and allowance from the state upon marriage. Princess Sayako was the first to lose royal status since the marriage of Princess Masako of Mikasa, one of Emperor Akihito's cousins, in 1983.[4]

The Emperor and Empress were in attendance at her wedding, as were Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and other members of the Imperial Family. About 30 people attended the ceremony, and some 120 guests attended the reception.[5] Thousands of well-wishers lined the streets between the royal palace and the city hotel where the half-hour marriage rite took place.[5]

Kuroda resigned from her job as an ornithologist to focus on her family life. While she is no longer be entitled to an imperial allowance, she reportedly received a dowry worth US$1.29 million (in Japan, the bride is given a sum of money for her marriage).[6][7] To prepare for her change of lifestyle, Princess Sayako reportedly took driving lessons and practised shopping at the supermarket.[5]

After the marriage

In April 2012, she was appointed as a high priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine to assist her aunt, Atsuko Ikeda, Chief Priestess of the shrine,[8] who was also subjected to the conditions of the Imperial Household Law upon marriage.

Titles and styles

Styles of
Sayako, Princess Nori
(before her marriage)
Imperial Coat of Arms
Imperial Coat of Arms
Reference styleHer Imperial Highness
Spoken styleYour Imperial Highness
Alternative styleMa'am

Prior to her marriage on 15 November 2005, she was styled as "Her Imperial Highness The Princess Nori". After her marriage, she became known as "Mrs. Yoshiki Kuroda", having adopted her husband's surname.

Honours

See also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country

National honours

Ancestry

Family of Sayako Kuroda
16. Emperor Meiji
8. Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō
17. Lady Naruko Yanagihara
4. Hirohito, Emperor Shōwa
18. Prince Kujō Michitaka
9. Lady Sadako Kujō
19. Noma Ikuko
2. Akihito, Emperor of Japan
20. Asahiko, 1st Imperial Prince Kuni
10. Kuniyoshi, 2nd Imperial Prince Kuni
21. Lady Isume Makiko
5. Princess Nagako of Kuni
22. Prince Tadayoshi Shimazu
11. Princess Shimazu Chikako
23. Yamazaki Sumako
1. Sayako, Princess Nori
12. Teiichirō Shōda
6. Hidesaburō Shōda
13. Kinu Shōda
3. Michiko Shōda
14. Tsunatake Soejima
7. Fumiko Soejima
15. Aya Soejima

References

  1. ^ "Princess Sayako turns 35, voices relief over hostage release". Japan Policy & Politics. 19 April 2004. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  2. ^ News The Times, 12 November 2005
  3. ^ "Japanese emperor's only daughter to wed". chinadaily.com.cn. China Daily. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Japanese princess to marry the best friend of her brother". telegraph.co.uk. The Daily Telegraph. 15 November 2004. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Japanese princess weds commoner". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  6. ^ Grace, Francie (15 November 2005). "Japan Loses A Princess". cbsnews.com. CBS News. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  7. ^ "Japanese princess weds commoner". dailymail.co.uk. Daily Mail. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
  8. ^ "Mrs. Sayako Kuroda - chief priestess of the Ise Shrine". Jiji. 7 May 2012.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sayako_Kuroda&oldid=715582143"