The native form of this personal name is Higashikuni Shigeko. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Shigeko Higashikuni (東久邇 成子, Higashikuni Shigeko, 6 December 1925 – 23 July 1961), born Shigeko, Princess Teru (照宮成子内親王, Teru-no-miya Shigeko Naishinnō), was the wife of Prince Morihiro Higashikuni and eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. She was the eldest sister to Japan's Emperor EmeritusAkihito.[1]
Princess Shigeko was born at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo while her father was still Prince Regent for her grandfather the Taishō Emperor.[2] Her childhood appellation was Teru-no-miya (照宮) ("Princess Teru"). As was the practice of the time, she was not raised by her biological parents after the age of three, but by a succession of court ladies at a separate palace built for her and her younger sisters in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo from 1930. Emperor Shōwa opposed the move, but could not defy court tradition.[3] She entered the girls elementary department of the Gakushūin Peer's School in 1932 and completed the secondary department in 1942, learning cooking and literature.
In 1941, she was formally engaged to the eldest son and heir of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni, Prince Morihiro Higashikuni. The bride and groom were double first cousins once removed, through both the main imperial line, in descent from Emperor Meiji (the bride's maternal grandfather and the groom's father were siblings; meaning that the groom was a first cousin of the bride's father), and through collateral imperial lines, or ōke, that were cadet branches of the Fushimi-no-miya cadet branch of the imperial house. The couple were officially wed on 10 October 1943. As the wedding occurred in the middle of World War II, ceremonies and expenses were kept to a minimum, and she wore a junihitoekimono belonging to her mother, Empress Kōjun, rather than having special clothing created for the occasion.
In 1947, the Higashikunis were reduced to commoner status with the abolition of titles of nobility by the American occupation forces. With rampant post-war inflation, high taxation, and various failed business ventures by her husband, the Higashikuni family was reduced to poverty. In January 1958, she accepted an offer by the Japanese national television network, NHK, to appear before a live audience and explain the New Year's poetry card reading contest and other royal ceremonies. She fell ill in 1960, complaining of stomach pains, and was diagnosed with cancer. Hospitalized at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo, she died on 23 July 1961.[5] Her grave is at the Toshimagaoka imperial cemetery in Bunkyo, Tokyo.
Portrayals in the Media
Princess Shigeko was a featured protagonist in the 2022 alternative history novel Hydrogen Wars: Atomic Sunrise by R.M. Christianson and its upcoming sequel Hydrogen Wars: Atomic Winter.
Family
The Higashikuni couple on their wedding day, 1943
Shigeko and Morihiro had five children, the last three of whom were born after they were reduced in status to commoners:[6]
Prince Nobuhiko Higashikuni (東久邇宮 信彦王, Higashikuni-no-miya Nobuhiko ō) (10 March 1945 – 20 March 2019); married Miss Shimada Yoshiko in 1973, and had one son, Higashikuni Masahiko (b. 1973)
Princess Fumiko Higashikuni (文子女王, Fumiko joō, born 23 December 1946); married Mr. Omura Kazutoshi.
Hidehiko Higashikuni (東久邇 秀彦, born 30 June 1949): adopted by the Mibu family as "Mibu Motohiro"
Naohiko Higashikuni (東久邇 真彦, born 1953); married to Ms. Sato Kazuko, with two sons, Teruhiko and Mutsuhiko
Large, Stephen S (1992). Emperor Hirohito and Shōwa Japan: A Political Biography. Routledge. ISBN0-415-03203-2.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Higashikuni Shigeko.
January 07, 2023
shigeko, higashikuni, native, form, this, personal, name, higashikuni, shigeko, this, article, uses, western, name, order, when, mentioning, individuals, 東久邇, 成子, higashikuni, shigeko, december, 1925, july, 1961, born, shigeko, princess, teru, 照宮成子内親王, teru, m. The native form of this personal name is Higashikuni Shigeko This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals Shigeko Higashikuni 東久邇 成子 Higashikuni Shigeko 6 December 1925 23 July 1961 born Shigeko Princess Teru 照宮成子内親王 Teru no miya Shigeko Naishinnō was the wife of Prince Morihiro Higashikuni and eldest daughter of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun She was the eldest sister to Japan s Emperor Emeritus Akihito 1 Shigeko HigashikuniShigeko Higashikuni in 1960BornShigeko Princess Teru 照宮成子内親王 1925 12 06 6 December 1925Akasaka Palace Tokyo City Empire of JapanDied23 July 1961 1961 07 23 aged 35 Imperial Household Agency Hospital Tokyo JapanResting placeToshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery BunkyōSpouseMorihiro Higashikuni m 1943 wbr ChildrenNobuhiko Higashikuni Fumiko Higashikuni Naohiko Higashikuni Hidehiko Higashikuni Yuko HigashikuniParentsEmperor Shōwa father Empress Kōjun mother RelativesImperial House of Japan Contents 1 Biography 2 Portrayals in the Media 3 Family 4 Honours 4 1 National honours 5 Ancestry 6 Gallery 7 References 8 External linksBiography EditPrincess Shigeko was born at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo while her father was still Prince Regent for her grandfather the Taishō Emperor 2 Her childhood appellation was Teru no miya 照宮 Princess Teru As was the practice of the time she was not raised by her biological parents after the age of three but by a succession of court ladies at a separate palace built for her and her younger sisters in the Marunouchi district of Tokyo from 1930 Emperor Shōwa opposed the move but could not defy court tradition 3 She entered the girls elementary department of the Gakushuin Peer s School in 1932 and completed the secondary department in 1942 learning cooking and literature On 9 May 1939 Princess Shigeko rode on the Chōshi Electric Railway Line in Chiba Prefecture from Chōshi to Tōdaimae and back as part of a Gakushuin school outing 4 In 1941 she was formally engaged to the eldest son and heir of Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni Prince Morihiro Higashikuni The bride and groom were double first cousins once removed through both the main imperial line in descent from Emperor Meiji the bride s maternal grandfather and the groom s father were siblings meaning that the groom was a first cousin of the bride s father and through collateral imperial lines or ōke that were cadet branches of the Fushimi no miya cadet branch of the imperial house The couple were officially wed on 10 October 1943 As the wedding occurred in the middle of World War II ceremonies and expenses were kept to a minimum and she wore a junihitoe kimono belonging to her mother Empress Kōjun rather than having special clothing created for the occasion In 1947 the Higashikunis were reduced to commoner status with the abolition of titles of nobility by the American occupation forces With rampant post war inflation high taxation and various failed business ventures by her husband the Higashikuni family was reduced to poverty In January 1958 she accepted an offer by the Japanese national television network NHK to appear before a live audience and explain the New Year s poetry card reading contest and other royal ceremonies She fell ill in 1960 complaining of stomach pains and was diagnosed with cancer Hospitalized at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo she died on 23 July 1961 5 Her grave is at the Toshimagaoka imperial cemetery in Bunkyo Tokyo Portrayals in the Media EditPrincess Shigeko was a featured protagonist in the 2022 alternative history novel Hydrogen Wars Atomic Sunrise by R M Christianson and its upcoming sequel Hydrogen Wars Atomic Winter Family Edit The Higashikuni couple on their wedding day 1943 Shigeko and Morihiro had five children the last three of whom were born after they were reduced in status to commoners 6 Prince Nobuhiko Higashikuni 東久邇宮 信彦王 Higashikuni no miya Nobuhiko ō 10 March 1945 20 March 2019 married Miss Shimada Yoshiko in 1973 and had one son Higashikuni Masahiko b 1973 Princess Fumiko Higashikuni 文子女王 Fumiko joō born 23 December 1946 married Mr Omura Kazutoshi Hidehiko Higashikuni 東久邇 秀彦 born 30 June 1949 adopted by the Mibu family as Mibu Motohiro Naohiko Higashikuni 東久邇 真彦 born 1953 married to Ms Sato Kazuko with two sons Teruhiko and Mutsuhiko Yuko Higashikuni 東久邇 優子 born 1954 Married Honours EditSee also List of honours of the Japanese Imperial Family by country National honours Edit Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious CrownAncestry EditAncestors of Shigeko Higashikuni8 Mutsuhito Emperor Meiji4 Yoshihito Emperor Taishō9 Lady Naruko Yanagihara2 Hirohito Emperor Shōwa10 Prince Kujō Michitaka of the Fujiwara Clan5 Lady Sadako Kujō11 Lady Ikuko Noma1 Shigeko Princess Teru12 Asahiko 1st Imperial Prince Kuni6 Kuniyoshi 2nd Imperial Prince Kuni13 Lady Makiko Izumi3 Princess Nagako of Kuni14 Prince Shimazu Tadayoshi7 Princess Chikako Shimazu15 Lady Sumako YamazakiGallery Edit Crown Prince Hirohito and Crown Princess Nagako with their first child Princess Shigeko in 1926 Emperor Shōwa s daughters Emperor Shōwa s family 7 December 1941 Princess Shigeko in 1941 Princess Shigeko in 1941References Edit Bix Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan page 145 Delicate Piety Time Magazine December 13 1926 Retrieved on November 30 2008 Bix Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan Pages 270 271 Shirato Sadao July 2011 銚子電気鉄道 下 Choshi Electric Railway Volume Two Japan Neko Publishing Co Ltd p 16 ISBN 978 4 7770 5310 0 Large Emperor Hirohito and Showa Japan page 165 東久邇宮家 in Japanese nekhet Retrieved October 14 2011 Bix Herbert P 2001 Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan Harper Perennial ISBN 0 06 093130 2 Large Stephen S 1992 Emperor Hirohito and Shōwa Japan A Political Biography Routledge ISBN 0 415 03203 2 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Higashikuni Shigeko Time Magazine September 26 1927 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shigeko Higashikuni amp oldid 1129619244, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
