Shigeko Higashikuni
Encyclopedia
was the wife of Prince Higashikuni Morihiro
and eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa
and Empress Kōjun
. As such, she was the elder sister to the present Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihito.
while her father was still Prince Regent. Her childhood appellation was . As was the practice of the time, she was not raised by her biological parents after the age of three, but by a succession of court ladies at a separate palace built for her and her younger sisters in the Marunouchi
district of Tokyo from 1930. Emperor Shōwa opposed the move, but was unable to defy court tradition. She entered the girls elementary department of the Gakushuin
Peer’s School in 1932 and completed the secondary department in 1942, learning cooking and literature.
In 1941, she was formally engaged to the eldest son and heir of Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, Prince Higashikuni Morihiro
. The bride and groom were first cousins once removed. The couple were officially wed in 1943, upon which her official appellation became . As the wedding occurred in the middle of World War II
, ceremonies and expenses were kept to a minimum, and she wore a junihitoe
kimono
belonging to her mother, Empress Kōjun, rather than having special clothing created for the occasion.
In August 1947, she and her family were reduced to commoner status with the abolition of titles of nobility by the American occupation authorities
. With rampant post-war inflation
, high taxation, and various failed business ventures by her husband, the Higashikuni family was reduced to poverty. In January 1958, she accepted an offer by the Japanese national television network
, NHK
, to appear before a live audience and explain the New Year’s poetry card reading contest
and other royal ceremonies. She fell ill in 1960, complaining of stomach pains, and was diagnosed with cancer
. Hospitalized at the Imperial Household Agency
Hospital in Tokyo, she died on July 23, 1961. Her grave is at the Toshimagaoka royal cemetery, in Bunkyō, Tokyo
.
Prince and Princess Higashikuni had five children, the last three of whom were born after they were reduced in status to commoners:
Higashikuni Morihiro
, formerly was a member of a branch line of the Japanese imperial family and husband of the Emperor Hirohito's eldest daughter.- Early life :The eldest son and heir of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, Prince Morihiro had the distinction of being a grandson of Emperor Meiji and simultaneously both a...
and eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa
Hirohito
, posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to...
and Empress Kōjun
Empress Kojun
' was empress consort of Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Born , she was the mother of the present Emperor .Her posthumous name is Kōjun, which means "fragrant purity"...
. As such, she was the elder sister to the present Emperor of Japan, Emperor Akihito.
Biography
Princess Shigeko was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
while her father was still Prince Regent. Her childhood appellation was . As was the practice of the time, she was not raised by her biological parents after the age of three, but by a succession of court ladies at a separate palace built for her and her younger sisters in the Marunouchi
Marunouchi
Marunouchi is a commercial district of Tokyo located in Chiyoda between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat...
district of Tokyo from 1930. Emperor Shōwa opposed the move, but was unable to defy court tradition. She entered the girls elementary department of the Gakushuin
Gakushuin
The or Peers School is an educational institution founded in Tokyo in 1877, during the Meiji period, for the education of the children of the Japanese aristocracy, though it eventually also opened its doors to the offspring of extremely wealthy commoners...
Peer’s School in 1932 and completed the secondary department in 1942, learning cooking and literature.
In 1941, she was formally engaged to the eldest son and heir of Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, Prince Higashikuni Morihiro
Higashikuni Morihiro
, formerly was a member of a branch line of the Japanese imperial family and husband of the Emperor Hirohito's eldest daughter.- Early life :The eldest son and heir of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, Prince Morihiro had the distinction of being a grandson of Emperor Meiji and simultaneously both a...
. The bride and groom were first cousins once removed. The couple were officially wed in 1943, upon which her official appellation became . As the wedding occurred in the middle of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, ceremonies and expenses were kept to a minimum, and she wore a junihitoe
Junihitoe
The is an extremely elegant and highly complex kimono that was only worn by court-ladies in Japan. Literally translated, it means "twelve-layer robe". The older term, still used by scholars but not widely recognised in mainstream Japan, is Karaginu Mo...
kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
belonging to her mother, Empress Kōjun, rather than having special clothing created for the occasion.
In August 1947, she and her family were reduced to commoner status with the abolition of titles of nobility by the American occupation authorities
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers
Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers was the title held by General Douglas MacArthur during the Occupation of Japan following World War II...
. With rampant post-war inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
, high taxation, and various failed business ventures by her husband, the Higashikuni family was reduced to poverty. In January 1958, she accepted an offer by the Japanese national television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
, NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
, to appear before a live audience and explain the New Year’s poetry card reading contest
Uta-garuta
are a kind of karuta, Japanese traditional playing cards. It is also the name of the game in which they are used. The game is played mostly on Japanese New Year's holidays. On each card, a poem is written, and there are a total of 100 poems. The standard collection of the poems used is called...
and other royal ceremonies. She fell ill in 1960, complaining of stomach pains, and was diagnosed with cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. Hospitalized at the Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
Hospital in Tokyo, she died on July 23, 1961. Her grave is at the Toshimagaoka royal cemetery, in Bunkyō, Tokyo
Bunkyo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. Situated in the middle of the ward area, Bunkyō is a residential and educational center. Beginning in the Meiji period, literati like Natsume Sōseki, as well as scholars and politicians have lived there...
.
Family
- (born March 10, 1945); married 1973 Miss Shimada Yoshiko, with one son, Higashikuni Yukihiko (b.1974)
- ; married Mr. Omura Kazutoshi.
- : adopted by the Mibu family as "Mibu Motohiro"
- ; married to Ms. Sato Kazuko, with two sons, Teruhiko and Mutsuhiko
Ancestry
| Shigeko, Princess Teru | Father: Hirohito, Emperor Shōwa Hirohito , posthumously in Japan officially called Emperor Shōwa or , was the 124th Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order, reigning from December 25, 1926, until his death in 1989. Although better known outside of Japan by his personal name Hirohito, in Japan he is now referred to... |
Paternal Grandfather: Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō Emperor Taishō The was the 123rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 30 July 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor’s personal name was . According to Japanese customs, the emperor has no name during his reign and is only called the Emperor... |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji Emperor Meiji The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death... |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Adopted: Haruko, Empress Shōken; Biological: Lady Yanagihara Naruko, concubine |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Princess Sadako of the Fujiwara Clan, Empress Teimei |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Duke Kujō Michitaka Kujo Michitaka , son of regent Nijō Hisatada and adopted son of his brother Yukinori, was a kuge or Japanese court noble of the late Edo period and politician of the early Meiji era who served as a member of the House of Peers... of the Fujiwara Clan |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: Lady Noma Ikuko, concubine |
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| Mother: Nagako, Empress Kōjun Empress Kojun ' was empress consort of Emperor Hirohito of Japan. Born , she was the mother of the present Emperor .Her posthumous name is Kōjun, which means "fragrant purity"... |
Maternal Grandfather: Imperial Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Prince Kuni Asahiko Prince Kuni Asahiko align=right|, was a member of a collateral line of the Japanese imperial family who played a key role in the Meiji Restoration. Prince Asahiko was an adopted son of Emperor Ninkō and later a close advisor to Emperor Kōmei and Emperor Meiji... |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Lady Isume Makiko, concubine |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Princess Shimazu Chikako of Satsuma |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Duke Shimazu Tadayoshi, 29th and last Daimyo of Satsuma, Osumi and Hyuga |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Lady Hiro Sumako, concubine |