picture of the day

Birthday boy

17 Comments

Prince Hisahito, the son of Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, and third in line for the throne, picks herb with his sisters, Princess Mako, left, and Princess Kako, at Akishino's residence on the grounds of the Akasaka Detached Palace in Tokyo. Hisahito, the only grandson of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, celebrates his 8th birthday Saturday.

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17 Comments
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The sisters look fairly good.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Geez give the herbs a chance to grow a bit before picking haha!!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Cute x 3!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Let's see pictures every one of those folks that lives a life of luxury, all for the accidental fortune of being born into a certain family.

In all fairness, they don't really seem to live lives of luxury. In fact they are downright frugal compared to monarchies of other lands. I think that this is because they don't have any personal wealth, and are reliant upon the state? I wouldn't trade places, that's for sure.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

He is the same age as my little brother, worlds apart but still the "8-year-old boy" look is the same. Best wishes.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Poor kids. Let them live a normal life. Abolish the stupidity of a monarchy which deprives them of a normal life. Unless the 'herb' they are picking is outside the law, this should not be news.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Supposedly the Imperial family gets by annually on about the equivalent of $3 million by state stipend much of which is spent on the upkeep of their appearances and housing. By contrast the British royal family receives the Sovereign Grant of about 38 million pounds. The Duchies I believe also provide some income to the royal family, I think Lancaster and Cornwall provide about 30 million pounds. This is on top of the money the Royals make in their day jobs or via assets owned.

The Imperial family is also not allowed to own property, assets or hold money even physically. Customarily the royals are considered too pure to sully themselves with something dirty like money. All palaces and residences of the family despite being worth a fortune (in the late 80's the Tokyo palace was worth more than most of land of California) was actually handed to the state after the war. The occupational forces also seized all other assets throughout what was the empire belonging to the family most of which was either spent, given as reparation or returned to the Japanese state.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Aw

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Happy Birthday Prince Hisahito, I hope you have a great party with your family and classmates :)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

In all fairness, they don't really seem to live lives of luxury.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Imperial Household Agency, you don't know a thing at all about how they live their lives! The Royal Family sits atop one of the vastest fortunes in the world! Have a look at how the occupation decided to not meddle with the fortunes of the Emperor stashed away in Swiss bank accounts in '46! They are quite loaded, my dear, and precisely how that massive wealth is apportioned is something that you, I nor anybody but those lucky enough to be born into one of the several families under the auspices of the IHA!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Poor kids. Let them live a normal life. Abolish the stupidity of a monarchy which deprives them of a normal life. Unless the 'herb' they are picking is outside the law, this should not be news.

Implying these people want to fend for themselves economically and socially.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It`s incredible how people comes to distill the venom of their sorrowul lives even over three kids.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

they don't really seem to live lives of luxury. In fact they are downright frugal compared to monarchies of other lands.

Tessa, Japanese don't like to display parvenu taste. You've never been to a Japanese tea house maybe, small simple old wooden house. That's the spirit.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Nice photo. Since there is now a young male heir to the throne did Japan give up on the idea of allowing for an Empress as well as an Emperor? There was a lot of talk about changing the law not that long ago. It would be more interesting to me if there was a Empress rather than an Emperor the next go around. It also would fit well with Abe's push to enhance women's prospects in the workplace. Besides even though the boy is cute - his sisters will always be more so.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I like pictures of the Royal Family. I wish they would publish a group photograph of them all together--every one of the people living the life of the ultra-wealthy, all publicly-funded by the taxpayers of Japan. Let's see pictures every one of those folks that lives a life of luxury, all for the accidental fortune of being born into a certain family.

Smart on the public relations arm of the Imperial Household Agency to dress them up like ordinary Uniqlo-shopping commoners for the photo-op!

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

They are all cute (especially the sisters, since they lost their puppy fat) but I have to wonder what the two girls think of this little fellow who has to be fawned on and treated like a little god, just because he was born with a vital appendage that they are lacking in ...

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Gosh!

This is news?

-15 ( +1 / -16 )

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