Yahoo News Emperor Naruhito of Japan's Life in Photos
When Emperor Naruhito's father, Akihito, unprecedentedly abdicated in 2019, Emperor Naruhito acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne, and his ruling era was named "Reiwa," which translates to “Beautiful Harmony.” He was the first emperor to have studied abroad, doing two years of research at Oxford, and the second, after his father, to marry a commoner.
Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, have one daughter together, Princess Aiko. Since they do not have a son, the throne will pass to Naruhito's nephew, Prince Hisahito, the son of Naruhito's brother, Fumihito. As a result, Fumihito is the Crown Prince.
Here, see photos of Naruhito throughout his life—from black-and-white childhood photos to present-day paparazzi shots.
1960
Naruhito, or Prince Hiro, was born on February 23, 1960, in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace. He is the eldest son of the former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko.
1961
Here, Prince Hiro holds the hand of his mother, Empress Michiko, who wears a traditional Japanese yukata gown while they walk on the grounds of the Togu Palace in Tokyo.
1961
Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko hold Prince Hiro's hand as they walk on the beach in Japan in the summery month of June. Naruhito wears a white hat—both functional and adorable.
1963
The day before his third birthday, Prince Hiro poses for an official photo in a traditional kimono. Crane, ocean, and cloud motifs can be seen on the opulent cloth.
1965
Prince Hiro pushes a bicycle he just received for his fifth birthday.
1966
Prince Naruhito wears the uniform and the cap of his primary school, Gakushuin, as he walks around a field.
1968
In this precious photo, Prince Hiro paddles a wooden boat with his hands at the Children's Land playground in Yokohama.
1969
Prince Hiro confidently rides his horse in the park of the Togu Palace. Reportedly, he was able to jump over relatively low obstacles on horseback.
1971
The Crown Princess Michiko gazes lovingly at two of her children, Prince Hiro and Princess Nori, as they sit on an elevated tree branch in the park of the Togu Palace in Tokyo. Michiko wears a traditional yukata.
1972
Prince Hito practices the violin at Togu Palace. He continued playing multiple string instruments throughout his life, taking inspiration from his cellist father, Akihito, and his mother, Michiko, an accomplished pianist.
1973
Here, Prince Hiro plays tennis with Emperor Akihito, who loves the sport dearly, around the time of Hiro's 13th birthday at Togu Palace.
1974
Prince Hiro and the late Japanese Ambassador Shigeru Yoshida arrive in Sydney on their way to Melbourne for an unofficial two-week visit.
1977
Tomohide Gomi, Honorary Professor of Tokyo University, lectured Prince Hiro on the 'Manyoshu' poetry anthology for his 17th birthday.
1980
Prince Hiro wears the coronet presented to him during his coming-of-age ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
1986
Prince Hiro, 26, escorts Diana, Princess of Wales, at Shugakuin in Kyoto.
1993
Pictured here are Crown Prince Naruhito, no longer Prince Hiro, and Masako Owada, the second commoner to marry into the imperial lineage, during their official engagement at Togu Palace in Toyko.
1993
Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan and his future wife Masako Owada pose for photographs in traditional Japanese dress a couple of days prior to their wedding.
1993
Following their 13-minute private wedding ceremony on June 9, the newlywed Crown Prince Naruhito and the Crown Princess Masako bow before Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace, expressing their gratitude.
1993
The two newlyweds pose for a post-wedding photograph. Masako wears a stunning diamond tiara and necklace set, while Naruhito wears a red sash and emblem symbolizing his imperial status.
1996
As part of a performance of "Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini for Piano and Orchestra" by the Gakushuin Orchestra, Crown Prince Naruhito played the viola.
2001
Crown Prince Naruhito And Crown Princess Masako leave the Imperial Hospital one week after the birth of their infant daughter, Princess Aiko.
2002
Crown Prince Naruhito holds his daughter, Princess Aiko, as they arrive, with Crown Prince Masako, at the Tokyo station after a week-long vacation.
2002
The imperial couple spent a four-day visit to New Zealand, where they hiked, surrounded by beautiful nature, learned about indigenous traditions, and met with the country's officials. Pictured behind Naruhito and Masako is Bowen Falls.
2003
At a garden party in Tokyo, the imperial family, including Empress Michiko, Emperor Akihito, Crown Prince Naruhito, and Crown Princess Masako, walk down the garden at Akasaka imperial garden. The women are seen here in traditional kimono.
2004
Crown Prince Naruhito smiled as he took a picture of the photographers in Lisbon during his five-day trip to Portugal. Later during the visit, he attended the royal wedding of Crown Prince Felipe of Spain.
2005
Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako, and their daughter, Princess Aiko, visit Oku-Shigakogen Ski Resort In Okushigakogen, where they huddle in an igloo.
2005
In this picture released by the Imperial Household Agency, the family, dressed in shades of purple, picks mandarin oranges together during a stroll through their Togu Palace residence garden in Tokyo.
2006
During a visit to the archaeological ruins of Uxmal in the state of Yucatan, Naruhito, in a straw, cowboy hat, smiles for the camera.
2006
For Father's Day, Crown Prince Naruhito accompanied his daughter, Princess Aiko, to the open house classes at her school, the Gakushuin Kindergarten.
2009
The proud parents teach their daughter, Princess Aiko, how to write kanji, the characters used in Japanese writing.
2010
Adorned with his imperial emblems, Naruhito attends the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and Daniel Westling in Stockholm, Sweden.
2010
The mother, father, daughter, dog, and cat pose in their residence for an official family portrait.
2011
In the gardens of Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Crown Prince Naruhito and German President Christian Wulff plant a cherry tree together during the Japanese Prince's two-day visit to Germany.
2013
Naruhito and Masako, in royal garb, attend the abdication of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and the Inauguration of King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
2013
Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, Prince Felipe of Spain, and Princess Letizia of Spain take a picture together in Madrid during Naruhito's six-day official visit to Spain. This trip reinforces the 400th anniversary of bilateral ties between the nations.
2013
During his visit to Spain, Prince Naruhito visits students in a classroom at Vicente Neria in Coria del Rio in Sevilla, Spain.
2015
Naruhito, in casual working-out clothes, jogs around the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, two days before his 55th birthday.
2018
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito at the Chateau de Versailles in France. Naruhito is visiting France to celebrate the 160th anniversary of signing the first diplomatic and trade treaty between France and Japan.
2019
The Crown Prince becomes Emperor on October 22. Pictured here, Emperor Naruhito gives a speech during the ceremony while dressed in traditional garb at the Imperial Palace.
2019
Emperor Naruhito attends the Diet session, the parliament of Japan.
2020
Two days before Emperor Naruhito's 60th birthday, Naruhito gave a speech at a press conference marking the 75th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two. He expressed "deep remorse" over Japan's wartime past, hoping for world peace.
2023
Governor Ganjar Pranowo showed the beauty of the Borobudur temple to Emperor Naruhito in Magelang, Central Java.
2024
Upon welcoming Kenya's President William Ruto to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako smiled; Masako was in a traditional kimono, and Naruhito was in a classic suit.
2024
Following the example of the ex-Emperor Akihito and ex-Emperor Michiko, Naruhito and Masako bow to pay their respects to the damage done due to a large-scale fire following a 7.5 magnitude earthquake on New Year's Day in the city of Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture.
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