Hisahito's 20th birthday - Experienced many "firsts" in one year

Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Prince Akishino, celebrated his 20th birthday on the 6th. Over the past year, I have experienced many "firsts" in my official duties.

On September 6th of last year, Prince Hisahito attended his coming-of-age ceremony, the first in the imperial family in 40 years. Dressed in costumes reminiscent of Heian picture scrolls, he showed both at home and abroad that he had become an adult member of the imperial family, both in name and reality.

On the 8th of the same month, I visited Ise Grand Shrine in Ise City, Mie Prefecture to report that I had completed my Coming of Age Ceremony. In the afternoon of the same day, we moved to Nara Prefecture and visited the Mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu (Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture). It was my first time to visit the Mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu alone.

In November, he visited Izu Oshima (Oshima Town, Tokyo) with Princess Noriko. We paid our respects at the cenotaph for the victims of landslides caused by Typhoon No. 26 in 2013. It was the first time for Prince Hisahito to visit an area affected by a natural disaster on official business and pay homage to the victims.

In January of this year, I attended the New Year's General Visit at the Imperial Palace for the first time. Five times, he stood on the balcony of the palace with members of the imperial family, including the Emperor and Empress, their eldest daughter Princess Aiko, and Prince and Mrs. Akishino, waving to the people who had gathered.

On the 14th of the same month, the Imperial Palace...