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The Emperor and Empress, who caused a stir among locals when they stopped by for a cup of tea in a hotel before embarking upon their tour of the historic beauty spot, are on a three-day tour of the Emerald Isle |
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Among those present at Tokyo's main airport for the Imperial couple's send-off were Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Masako. It was a rare glimpse of the now-reclusive crown princess whose "adjustment disorder" has led to her retiring from most royal duties |
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The Emperor and Empress of Japan experienced the notorious vagaries of Irish weather this weekend when they took a stroll in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Nothing could dim the beauty of their natural surroundings, however.
Although not exactly dressed for the occasion – neither wore raincoats despite the downpour - the royal pair, who are in Ireland as part of a eight-day trip to the Emerald Isle and Norway, seemed to enjoy their visit to the monastic settlements of St Kevin in Glendalough.
The 72-year-old Emperor, who is a keen botanist, had requested a guide accompany them on a private walk to a nearby lake where he was shown native flora and fauna and expressed particular interest in the birth trees. The area is home to many interesting bird species, including the rare and declining Ring Ouzel, a type of thrush, as well as deer, otters and badgers.
Empress Michiko has her own interest in Ireland and its culture, having been educated by Irish nuns and, in the past, expressed admiration for the country's poetry and traditional music. A scheduled cultural evening attended by Noble Laureate Seamus Heaney and flautist James Galway will therefore be of particular interest to Michiko.
At the start of their journey - which is their first outside Japan in three years - the Emperor and Empress were seen off at Tokyo's Haneda airport by a host of well-wishers, including Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Masako. The former diplomat and Harvard graduate is rarely seen in public these days as she continues to struggle with an "adjustment disorder" brought on by pressure to adapt to the conservative ways of one of the world's oldest monarchies.
Dressed in a smart white suite and matching boater-style hat, the 41-year-old princess looked more relaxed and happy than she has done in a long while, smiling broadly alongside her husband as she waved off her in-laws on their foreign trip.
On Tuesday, the Emperor and Empress fly to Oslo where they will attend a banquet hosted by Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon and Queen Sonja.
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