Latest news with #Akiko
Yomiuri Shimbun
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Princess Akiko Calls for Elevating Traditional Japanese Culture; World Forum on Japanese Culture Kicks Off
Yomiuri Shimbun photos Princess Akiko delivers a speech during the inaugural session of the World Forum on Japanese Culture at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on May 31. ATAMI, Shizuoka — Princess Akiko has stressed the importance of cultivating fertile soil for traditional Japanese culture to live on without the need for protection, during a recent event that kicked off the World Forum on Japanese Culture. The forum, which was established to convey to the world the distinctive characteristics of Japanese culture, held its inaugural sessions at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on May 31, with about 500 people in attendance. In the first session, Princess Akiko delivered a speech titled 'The essence of Japanese aesthetics,' in which she said that traditional Japanese culture will become 'a thing of the past' unless it is incorporated into modern society and people make use of it. 'Culture should come alive in our everyday lives,' she said. 'Japanese culture is supposed to be closely connected to our everyday lives, not something merely appreciated.' From left, Harvard University Prof. Yukio Lippit; Masatomo Kawai, a professor emeritus at Keio University; lacquer artist Kazumi Murose; and Tokugo Uchida, director of the MOA museum, participate in a discussion at the forum on May 31 The princess of Mikasa said she realized how little she knew about Japanese culture when people often asked her about it while she was studying at Oxford University. That realization led her to study Japanese art and eventually launch 'Shinyusha,' an initiative that provides children with opportunities to experience authentic Japanese culture through workshops, such as on making Japanese tea in a traditional manner and wearing kimono — practices that are no longer common in everyday Japanese life. The princess said that the goal of the initiative is to plant 'seeds of memories.' She said she hopes that the children will have pleasant memories of the workshops and that they will recall those memories in the future, thereby building a feeling of affinity toward traditional culture. Masatomo Kawai, a professor emeritus at Keio University, gives a keynote speech during the second session of the forum on May 31. She called for a 'bottom-up style' of cultural preservation, in which each person naturally strives to protect their culture, rather than a 'top-down style,' in which authorities chooses what to keep and protect. 'If you don't know why something is important, you don't care to protect it,' she said. 'What we can do now is use our own efforts to build a future for preserving our precious Japanese culture.' In the second session held on the same day, Masatomo Kawai, a professor emeritus at Keio University, gave a keynote speech on the uniqueness of Japanese culture. He said Japanese culture has been nurtured through finding harmony between nature and people, while in the West, culture and science have developed through efforts to overcome nature. A similar point was addressed in the discussion that followed involving four experts: Kawai; Kazumi Murose, a lacquer artist designated as a living national treasure; Harvard University Prof. Yukio Lippit; and Tokugo Uchida, director of the MOA museum. Members of the audience listen to Princess Akiko's speech on May 31. During the discussion, they affirmed the importance of seeking 'coexistence between nature and society' in the 21st century amid global challenges such as division, conflict and environmental issues. Murose said that Japan, through its long history, has incorporated aspects of overseas cultures into its own to create new values and traditions to pass on to the next generation. Lippit said culture is not something each country should discuss independently, and that common values are important for getting even people overseas to feel like they want to carry on Japanese cultural heritage. World Forum on Japanese Culture Organized by Harvard University′s department of History of Art + Architecture, the MOA Museum of Art, the Japan Arts Council and the Cultural Affairs Agency, the forum aims to elevate the appreciation of Japanese cultural values globally. Leading figures in traditional arts, traditional crafts, science and other fields are invited to speak, providing various perspectives on Japanese culture. Recordings of the forum's lectures and discussions will be made open to the public in multiple languages: English, French, Spanish, Chinese and Thai. The recordings are planned to be made available online through about 20 institutions in 10 countries, such as the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University. The third session is scheduled to be held in August and will feature Ryoji Noyori, a Nobel laureate in chemistry, and Seiichi Kondo, a former director general of the Cultural Affairs Agency, as speakers.
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Tengku Ampuan Pahang visits Akiko Okumura's grave
KUALA LUMPUR: The Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, recently paid her last respects to the late Akiko Okumura, also known as Aisyah Abdullah, by visiting her final resting place. In a video shared on social media by Akiko's widower, entrepreneur and social media influencer Abd Ridzuan Abdul Mutalib (better known as Ridzuan Ridzokumura), Tunku Azizah is seen visiting Akiko's grave in Subang Jaya, Selangor. Ridzuan expressed his gratitude in the caption, writing: "Thank you very much to Tengku Ampuan Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who is willing to visit the grave of Aisyah Abdullah @ Akiko Okumura." In the comment section, netizens fondly recalled how Tunku Azizah used to leave comments during the couple's live TikTok sessions when Akiko was alive. One netizen commented, "If I'm not mistaken, Tunku Azizah used to comment when Akiko would prepare food for her family. She's lucky that, while people may not know her personally, many people still remember her, including a beloved Sultan's consort." Another added, "Maybe Tunku also feels sad like all of us. Al-Fatihah for a good person, the late Akiko." Akiko was confirmed to have died after falling from the fourth floor of a condominium in Subang Jaya on Feb 28. She married Ridzuan in February 2009, and they have a 13-year-old son, Sky Taizo Okumura.
Yomiuri Shimbun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
World Forum on Japanese Culture Set to Kick Off; 1st Session to Feature Speech by Princess Akiko
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Cultural Affairs Agency The World Forum on Japanese Culture is set to kick off at the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, on May 31. The number of applications from people wishing to attend the inaugural day has already reached the venue's seating capacity. However, recordings from the day will be viewable on the museum's website and other places at a later date. The Cultural Affairs Agency and other entities established the forum to convey to the world the distinctive characteristics of Japanese culture. Among those characteristics is the value that Japanese culture places on finding harmony between nature and human society, which will feature in the forum amid the divisions and conflicts currently faced by the international community. Leading figures in traditional arts, traditional crafts, fine arts, science and other fields have been invited to speak, providing a variety of perspectives on Japanese culture. Their lectures and discussions will be open to the public and recorded, and the recordings will be made public with multilingual subtitles included. The forum is also expected to cooperate with overseas universities and museums to enable the recordings to be used in classes at those institutions. In the first session on the day, Princess Akiko of Mikasa will give a special lecture titled 'The essence of Japanese aesthetics.' In the second session, a discussion will be held with four participants: Masatomo Kawai, a professor emeritus at Keio University; Kazumi Murose, a lacquer artist designated as a living national treasure; Harvard University Prof. Yukio Lippit; and Tokugo Uchida, director of the MOA Museum of Art. Both sessions will be recorded.
Japan Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
‘I Still Want To Do It With My Wife': Hapless husband's self-pity wears thin
Behind every starving artist, there tends to be someone else who's paying the bills. That was certainly true for filmmaker Shin Adachi, who spent years as an unsuccessful screenwriter before finally breaking out with '100 Yen Love' in 2014. As he has revealed in two autobiographical novels and their respective screen adaptations, he wouldn't have made it this far without the help of his spouse, Akiko. But in Adachi's fictionalized retelling, his better half is a far cry from the 'devoted wife' archetype beloved of NHK morning dramas. In 'I Still Want To Do It With My Wife,' Chika (played by the single-named Megumi) subjects her husband to a near-constant invective — and you can hardly blame her. Work-shy and out of work, Gota (Shunsuke Kazama) is a hopeless case. He didn't even make ¥100,000 the previous year, yet when he does finally land a gig, he's so out of his depth with the material that he has to get his missus to write it for him. Not only is Chika the main breadwinner, she also seems to be the more effective parent to their son, Taro (Tetta Shimada), who has a developmental disorder. So when Gota approaches her at the end of a long day with a suggestive look on his face, it's understandable that she tells him to get lost. Gota's only confidantes are the neighborhood moms, but they scoff at his complaints that he doesn't get enough credit for doing the cooking and housework. Welcome to being a homemaker, pal. These battle lines will be familiar to anyone who saw Adachi's 'A Beloved Wife' (2020), in which his sex-starved alter ego was played by Gaku Hamada. (Even the names of the lead characters are the same, although this doesn't appear to be a direct sequel.) Kazama, an equally cuddly screen presence, somehow manages to be even more irritating than his predecessor. Adapted from the director's 2019 novel, 'I Still Want To Do It With My Wife' started as a 12-episode drama that aired on TV Osaka earlier this year. Adachi says he'd always envisioned it as a standalone film, which explains why the theatrical cut — edited from the show, with a few extra scenes added — doesn't feel like a digest version. All the same, it frequently betrays its TV origins, both in the rough-around-the-edges aesthetic and the episodic plot. Like many married couples, Gota and Chika are constantly revisiting the same arguments. Although there are a few big moments (a bust-up at a funeral, an emotional meltdown on a busy street), much of the film keeps going round in circles. Adachi's candor is refreshing, but it's still subject to the law of diminishing returns. Much like the character she plays, Megumi ends up having to do most of the work. After spending much of the film's first half in the bathtub — a more onerous acting assignment than you'd think — she's called on to deliver the emotional fireworks later on, too. Shimada, best known to international audiences from Koji Fukada's 'Love Life' (2022), is equally winning as the couple's high-maintenance son. Taking verisimilitude to the extreme, Adachi filmed the domestic scenes in the family's apartment, using long takes and handheld camerawork to heighten the pressure-cooker atmosphere. It gives an extra touch of authenticity to a fitfully engaging film. Adachi can do better than this, but his wife has probably told him that already.
Yomiuri Shimbun
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Women in the Reiwa Era Imperial Family / Princesses Share Father's Ways of Thinking, Continue Legacies
The Yomiuri Shimbun Princess Akiko presents her books to the winners of the 8th national junior high school biblio battle championship, a book review competition, in Kyoto on March 9. This is the third and last installment in a three-part series about what roles women born into the Imperial family should play in the Reiwa era. *** Princess Akiko, Princess Yoko and Princess Tsuguko, the great-granddaughters of Emperor Taisho, have leveraged their individual personalities to support the Imperial family. Going among people Princess Akiko, 43, of the Mikasa branch of the family, teaches at universities as an expert in Japanese art and also writes essays. Last year, her book 'Aka to Ao no Gaun' (Red and blue gown) came out in paperback. The book of essays about her six years in England studying at the University of Oxford for her doctorate became a bestseller, with 380,000 copies sold. 'Princess Akiko is a very friendly person. I was surprised by how high the quality of her manuscripts were,' said Takayuki Nagata, 52, of PHP Institute, Inc. Nagata oversaw the serialization of the princess' essays in a monthly magazine published by the institute. The princess usually lives in Kyoto. She runs an organization that helps pass Japanese culture on to the next generation, and she is personally involved in hands-on events that include traditional crafts and agriculture. At a book review competition in Kyoto in March, the princess told junior high school students and others: 'When you go abroad, you will be treated as a representative of Japan. I want you to read books and learn about the history and culture of your country.' As part of her official duties, she serves as president of 10 organizations, including the Japan-Turkey Society, which she took over from her late father, Prince Tomohito of Mikasa. 'Princess Akiko holds dear to her father's way of thinking, which was that the Imperial family should go among the people and do what they desire,' said Eizo Kobayashi, chairperson of the society. Supporting motorsports Princess Yoko, 41, the younger sister of Princess Akiko, was similarly influenced by Prince Tomohito. Nicknamed the 'Bearded Prince,' the prince devoted himself to the welfare of disabled people and the promotion of sports. In a handwritten letter to the Imperial Household Agency press club in June 2022, Princess Yoko wrote that when she performs her official duties, she asks herself, 'If it were my father, how would he feel?' She also revealed that she suffers from sensorineural hearing loss. The Yomiuri Shimbun Princess Yoko speaks to the winners of the All-Japan junior high school water essay contest in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Aug. 1. When she visited Home Hospice Komatsu in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the autumn of 2022, she learned that a child of a staff member at the facility was hearing-impaired. 'So am I,' she told the staff member. 'The princess has chosen to look at her hearing impairment in a positive light,' said Chiaki Sakakibara, 63, who runs the hospice. 'We were very encouraged by the kindness she showed to those around her.' In July, Princess Yoko presented the Princess Yoko Cup at the All Japan Super Formula Championship, Japan's premier auto race. The Yomiuri Shimbun Princess Tsuguko speaks to atomic bomb survivors at the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims in Nagasaki on Aug. 7. On April 6, Princess Akiko and Princess Yoko visited the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix to watch the event and help promote motorsports. Balancing work, duties Princess Tsuguko, 39, the eldest daughter of late Prince Takamado, has been balancing her official duties with her activities at the Tokyo-based Japan Committee for UNICEF for more than 10 years. In this respect, she takes after her father, who worked at the Japan Foundation in Tokyo in addition to his official duties. On the committee, the princess is in charge of raising public awareness of UNICEF's work to support poverty-stricken areas around the world, and she travels extensively throughout Japan to do the job. Princess Tsuguko has also sought to promote peace. On Aug. 7 last year, at the closing ceremony of the All Japan inter-high school archery tournament in Nagasaki, she said in her speech: 'Even today, conflicts continue around the world.' 'There are children in the world who are not even allowed to enjoy sports,' she added. 'I hope you will think about what you can do for peace.' During a meeting afterwards with atomic bombing survivors, she crouched down to listen to them speak. 'The Emperor of the Heisei era wishes for peace and repeatedly made trips to pay his respects to the war dead in various places,' said Shigemitsu Tanaka, 84, chair of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors Council. 'I saw that his wish has been passed on to the Imperial family today.' — This series was written by Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers Sho Mizuno, Kaori Sakaba and Michiko Otsuka.
