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Despite suffering from health issues over the past weeks, both Empress Michiko and Crown Princess Masako of Japan attended the long-awaited engagement ceremony for Princess Sayako and her fiancé, Tokyo city worker Yoshiki Kuroda, on Saturday.
The future bride wore a long white dress emproidered with cherry blossoms for the traditional rite of betrothal, called "Nosai no Gi", which was held at the Imperial Palace.
During the 15-minute ceremony, a Kuroda family messenger bearing gifts formally conveyed the marriage proposal to a grand steward of the Imperial Household. The royal representative then reported the proposal to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in another room, where they granted approval for their only daughter to marry.
Afterward, the Imperial family sent its own messenger bearing gifts to Yoshiki's Tokyo home. Symbolic presents exchanged during the morning ritual included sea bream – a celebratory fish – as well as sake, silk and wool.
Later in the afternoon, Yoshiki and his mother – his father passed away in 1986 – joined the emperor and empress for tea.
"I would like to express my deep gratitude to both the emperor and the empress for blessing us, and for having Nosai no Gi completed smoothly," said Sayako, the emperor's only daughter, after the ceremony.
The wedding, after which the princess will relinquish her royal title, is set to take place this autumn. |
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