Princess Mako, a niece of Emperor Naruhito, touched down at Tokyo's Haneda airport Monday morning, returning from an official trip to Peru and Bolivia to mark the 120th anniversary of the start of Japanese immigration to the South American countries.
The 27-year-old princess, who flew from from Narita airport on July 9, attended commemoration ceremonies in Lima and Santa Cruz, met with Peruvians and Bolivians of Japanese descent, and paid courtesy calls on the presidents of the two countries during her trip.
It was her first official overseas visit since Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne in May. The eldest daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito, the emperor's younger brother, also visited the ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, while in Peru.
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Japan's Princess Mako meets with Bolivian president
Japan's Princess Mako visits Machu Picchu ruins in Peru
Japan's Princess Mako meets with Peruvian president
Meanwhile, her parents Crown Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko on Monday visited the Shoto Museum of Art in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward to view a special exhibit celebrating 100 years of Japanese tableware by Okura Art China Inc.
World-class chinaware produced by the Yokohama-based Japanese manufacturer is used by former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko -- the parents of the emperor and the crown prince.
The current exhibition through Saturday includes a tableware set with the same design as the one used by Emperor Naruhito during his "hashizome" ceremony performed when a baby starts to eat solid food.
"It's simple yet nice," the crown prince said of a plate featuring a flower of the Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi Prefecture that was made to celebrate the birthdays of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun -- the late grandparents of the emperor and the crown prince.
Okura Art China, founded in 1919, produces pure white yet sturdy porcelain, which is now highly-rated both in Japan and overseas.
