THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
August 22, 2023 at 15:09 JST
From left to right, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko stroll near the Nasu Imperial Villa in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, on Aug. 21. (Pool)
NASU, Tochigi Prefecture--For the first time in four years, Emperor Naruhito and his family arrived at an imperial villa here on Aug. 21 for a summer retreat.
Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko had not spent a holiday at the Nasu Imperial Villa since August 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m very happy the three of us have returned to Nasu, a place rich in nature, for the first time in four years,” Naruhito said as the imperial family strolled around the holiday home.
Aiko said, “I would like to feel refreshed in the rich, natural surroundings.”
Cheering crowds greeted the three as they arrived at Nasushiobara Station via a Shinkansen.
Naruhito thanked them for coming despite the heat, and the imperial family enjoyed casually conversing with some of the people.
For example, Aiko asked a sixth-grade boy how his summer homework was going, and Masako asked a mother if her 2-month-old daughter was fussy at night.
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