Prince Hisahito’s Coming-of-Age Ceremony the First for an Imperial Prince in 40 Years

Becoming an Adult

Prince Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Fumihito and the nephew of Emperor Naruhito, will have an official coming-of-age ceremony on his birthday on September 6. He turned 18 last year, but it was decided to delay the event so that he could concentrate on passing his university entrance examination. This is the first coming-of-age ceremony for an imperial prince since that of his father 40 years ago.

Below we introduce the different stages of the ceremony, illustrated by photographs of Naruhito and Fumihito when they came of age (at that time, at the age of 20).

The Conferral of the Kanmuri Headpiece

First, a messenger from Emperor Naruhito will deliver a kanmuri headpiece for adult princes to Prince Hisahito at Crown Prince Fumihito’s residence.

In a February 23, 1980, ceremony, Prince Naruhito receives the kanmuri headpiece. (© Jiji; pool photo)

The Wearing of the Kanmuri Headpiece (Kakan no Gi)

Prince Hisahito will wear the new kanmuri headpiece to show that he has come of age.

The main photo for this article above shows Prince Fumihito having his headwear changed into the adult enbi no ei (swallow’s tail) kanmuri (the difference shown in the photos below).

Prince Fumihito at his coming-of-age ceremony on November 30, 1985. On the left, he wears the costume of a minor, while on the right he has changed into adult clothes. (© Kyōdō)

Next, Prince Hisahito will travel to the Imperial Palace by horse-drawn carriage.

Prince Fumihito in a carriage after his kanmuri ceremony on November 30, 1985. (© Jiji)

The Imperial Household Agency maintains four state carriages, some of which are used to welcome ambassadors to the nation. Prince Hisahito will travel in the same one that his father used for his coming-of-age ceremony. It was built in Japan in 1913.

The state carriage that Prince Hisahito will use. (© Jiji)

Visit to the Three Sanctuaries

The prince will go to the Imperial Palace’s three sanctuaries, including the central Kashiko-dokoro shrine, dedicated to the sun goddess Amaterasu.

Prince Fumihito heading for the three sanctuaries on November 30, 1985. (© Jiji)

Imperial Audience (Chōken no Gi)

Prince Hisahito will exchange greetings with Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako in the Matsu-no-ma, the main hall of the Imperial Palace.

Conferral of Grand Cordon

The prince will receive the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum from Emperor Naruhito.

Prince Naruhito, wearing the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum on February 23, 1980. (© Jiji)

Later activities will include meetings with the Imperial Household Agency’s Grand Steward Nishimura Yasuhiko and Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, as well as an official banquet.

On September 8, the prince will visit Ise Shrine and the tomb of Emperor Jinmu in Kashihara, Nara, while on September 9, he will visit the tomb of his great-grandfather Emperor Shōwa in western Tokyo. On September 10, he will take part in a banquet with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru.

Data Sources

• Information on Prince Hisahito’s activities at the time of his eighteenth birthday and concerning the state carriages (Japanese) from the Imperial Household Agency.

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Prince Fumihito at the Kakan no Gi ceremony in which he wears the kanmuri headpiece for adult princes on November 30, 1985. © Kyōdō.)