| On 23rd February, Crown Prince Naruhito turned 58 years old. The Imperial Household Agency released new photos on the occasion of 58th birthday of Crown Prince Naruhito with his family. Crown Prince Naruhito vowed to "pursue self-improvement" ahead of his accession to the Chrysanthemum throne on May 1, 2019. |
They are used to save face, I understand. But why for heaven's sake do they always sit in this ugly, impersonal room? Japan has got a long history of impressive architecture and a high degree of culture - this room looks like a third-rate waiting room somewhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteMy exact sentiments! It looks like a drab warehouse closet.
DeleteThe room, if that is what it is, is truly ugly. At least the family is color-coordinated, although princess Aiko's outfit totally lacks any kind of style.
DeleteI agree!!!!!!
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DeleteIt's really painful to watch how mannequin-like the Japanese Imperial women look, even in a more loving home of Crown Prince Naruhito. Can't imagine what it's like in his younger brother's household. The crown prince is a good man, very protective of his tight knit family. When he becomes emperor, I hope he has enough gusto to loosen outdated protocols.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the Imperial Family has any say so in protocols. It is my understanding that some sort of committee of old men dictates to the royal family of Japan. Tells them what they can wear, how they can act, etc. That is why Crown Princess Masako had such a hard time adjusting. So much pressure was put on her even about getting pregnant and having an heir (which, unfortunately, she did not have) that she broke emotionally and mentally under the stress. She does seem to be coming out of that perhaps because the pressure is off of her since her husband's brother finally fathered that so important male heir to the Japanese royal family.
DeleteI completely agree with everything you said. However, I find it odd that when you look at old pictures of the imperial family from the days of Emperor Akihito's mom and wife, they were dressed very modernly (i.e., bare arms, low cut gowns, short modern dresses). Then in recent years, the women seem to be stuck in the 1980-1990's era with clothes that are cut from the same pattern over and over again.
DeleteThe mother looks younger than the daughter...
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say that, but she probably wears a little make-up and is not dressed in young girls' clothes. But yes, the whole trio is bland, blah, you name it.
DeleteIs that a pegboard? I wish they would step into 2018. It all looks cheap. The room and the clothes. Match outfits is a little weird to me. More bland against bland. As another post stated - Japan has this very vibrant rich COLORFUL history, architecture, art etc and here they are ..bland. i do not understand. Yawn
ReplyDeleteSuch a boring photo!
ReplyDeleteThey are a lovely united family - I really like them and I really feel for them stuck in these roles they have been given.
ReplyDeleteThat poor young woman dressed like a 10 year old from the 1950s. Japanese teenagers usually are fashion forward and she is bound to the mores and expectations of another century. As is is her poor (highly intelligent) mother.
I really hope Naruhito is going to do something about modernising the Imperial Court.
I hope that too!
DeleteHopefully, it's the same room they use every time and only the sofa and other interiors they change!!! However, I don't understand, that they are showing the family in such impersonal surroundings year after year after year………
ReplyDeleteI would take them out to some beautiful Japanese garden, array them there and make a nice lighting. They would look so good! I think biggest issues in these photos we get every year is that terrible blah light in that room and really ugly background (looks like industrial storage where you put racks). I have wondered years how untalented the person is who btakes these pictures. Pictures are even not sharp.
ReplyDeleteHappy 58th Birthday to Prince Naruhito! I wish all the best to you, Princess Masako and Princess Aiko. I am very proud of all of you as one Japanese.
ReplyDeleteMais qu'est-ce que c'est cette frange ?
ReplyDeleteI know enough French to know that you're referring to her fringe/bangs. Poor girl, there are half a dozen other hair styles she could have to make her less like (one of the comments above) a 10 year old from the 1950s. Princesses Mako and Kako had similar length hair but with a little more style. In this case, a conservative and sedate look has gone too far.
DeleteThey always sit in the same room on the same couch. The background looks like a pegboard. Maybe they just don’t want us to see their personal spaces. It looks so cold and impersonal.
ReplyDeleteThe photos they look at were taken by HIH Crown Prince Naruhito himself during a lunar eclipse at the end of January, 2018. He seems genuinely interested in astronomy and that's why the telescope has been set up in the background. Yes, the room is not what you expect when imagining an imperial court, but in fact the palaces in use by the Japanese imperial family are mostly modern buildings of the later 20th century (1968, etc.), because so many historical buildings had been destroyed in WW II. There's nothing palatial like baroque or regency like we know it about this buildings. We should bear that in mind.
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