Spring has arrived in Tokyo. And like every year, Emperor Akihito of Japan and his family celebrate with a garden party.

In Japan, tradition is immutable. Every year at the end of April, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko gave a reception in the Imperial Garden Akasaka in Minato Ward in Tokyo to celebrate spring. And every year the imperial couple received numerous guests in the presence of several members of his family.

For this vintage 2016, this garden party spring was scheduled on Wednesday April 27th. Unlike last year when she was not present, Crown Princess Masako, wife of Crown Prince Naruhito, stood alongside her husband.

Like her mother-in-law and the rest of the women of the imperial family, Masako was dressed in Western. She wore a white suit on top of the same color and was also wearing a white hat. A bibi decorated with pink flowers resting on her hair, Empress Michiko were in turn associated his white suit with stockings and gray shoes. Her other daughter-in-law Princess Kiko, the wife of Prince Akishino, was pale green and the daughter of this one, the Princess Kako, pink. As for men, they wore black jackets as usual white tie and striped gray trousers.
Photo Credits: Paris Match

This year 2016, the Japanese commemorated the 2600th anniversary of the death of their first emperor and mythical founding father, Jimmu. in 660 BC, who died 75 years later in -585, at the age of 126 years. The current Emperor Akihito, who is direct descendant of Jimmu, took part in his homage. This April 3rd in the Nara Prefecture to visit the grave of his very distant ancestor.

His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito was not only accompanied by his wife HIM Empress Michiko but his younger son HIH Fumihito, Prince of Akishino and his wife HIH Princess Kiko of Akishino. They visited the tomb of Emperor Jimmu in Kashihara for a ceremony and visited Kashihara-jingu, the Shinto shrine where his spirit is being honored.


"Japan Times" reported that their eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Crown Princess Masako meanwhile remained in Tokyo and attended a ritual in honor of Jimmu at the Imperial Palace. Princesses Mako and Kako of Akishino as well as other members of the imperial family were also present. The English Japanese media emphasizes that Princess Masako had not participated in a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in January 2009.

This Monday, April 4th TIM Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko were still in Nara prefecture. They visited the kofun (tomb) of Takamatsuzuka, located in the village of Asuka. It was the first time that the imperial couple discovered that circular mound 18 meters in diameter and 5 meters high, dating from the late seventh and early eighth centuries. For reasons of fragility and conservation, the Emperor and Empress of Japan were unable to get inside. However, they admired the reproduction of its remarkable frescoes contained characters, animals and constellations in the adjacent museum.
Photo Credits: PAris MAtch

On 30th March, Her Imperial Majesty Empress Michiko alone without her royal husband His Imperial Majesty Emperor Akihito was surrounded by the family to attend the annual concert of the graduates from 5 music universities took place at the Music Hall inside Imperial Palace.
Her Imperial Majesty was accompanied by her elder son His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Naruhito, his wife Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Masako, her younger son His Imperial Highness Prince Fumihito of Akishino, his wife Her Imperial Highness Princess Kiko, Her Imperial Highness Princess Mako and Her Imperial Highness Princess Kako of Akishino, Her Imperial Highness  Princess Hanako of Hitachi, Her Imperial Highness Princess Hisako of Takamado came with her daughter Her Imperial Highness Princess Ayako of Takamado.
Photo Credits from Mainichi:

Her Imperial Highness Princess Kiko, Princess of Akishino(wife to Fumihito, Prince Akishino-Son to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko) and her eldest of three children who recently graduated HIH Princess Mako attended the Japan Flower Design Award 2016 in Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture.
Photo Credits: Yomiuru

In these first days of January, the Japanese imperial family gathered as usual around Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.

The year 2016 started in Tokyo with the spread of Akihito family photo. Or rather three photos taken last November 15 and January 1 revealed that the whole Imperial Household Family. Sitting in front of a coffee table at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the Japanese Emperor who has just turned 82 years poses alongside his wife Empress Michiko who was dressed in a traditional kimono, their sons H.I.H Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Akishino, their spouses Crown Princess Masako and Princess Kiko, and their four grandchildren. While the little prince Hisahito, 9, animates the scene, changing position, his two older sisters T.I.H Princess Mako 24, and Kako, 21, and their cousin H.I.H Princess Aiko, 14, standing quietly lined up behind their parents and grandparents.

Last year, this annual photo shoot took place in the absence of Mako, who mysteriously was missing. We had learned  later during the year that the young woman was then in England, where she spent a year in discreetly as part of his studies.

On New Year, the Imperial Household hosed the annual New Years reception.

After the traditional ceremony of New Year at the Imperial Palace, the whole family  found, Saturday, January 2, to appear glazed balcony to greet the crowd of Japanese came to hear the speech of Emperor Akihito. As Crown Princess Masako, her two nieces Mako and Kako had chosen to dress in blue. The two sisters showed dresses with necklines and sleeves identical underlined with a line of small buttons. Both wearing a bun, the two women also wore identical pearl necklaces, earrings matching their oreilles.

On Monday, January 4, the Emperor of Japan presided over the opening of the session of Parliament.
Photo Credit: Paris Match