Naruhito

Lore & Background

Naruhito was born at 4:15 p.m. in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace. His childhood was reported to be happy, and he enjoyed mountain climbing, horseback riding, and learning the violin. He found the remains of an ancient roadway on the palace grounds, sparking a lifelong fascination with the history of transportation. He attended Gakushūin schools and later studied history at Gakushuin University and English at Merton College, Oxford. He married diplomat Masako Owada in 1993, and they have one daughter, Aiko, Princess Toshi.

Reader's Guide

Naruhito's significance lies in his role as the 126th monarch in the traditional order of succession, marking the Reiwa era after his father's abdication. He has continued the boycott of Yasukuni Shrine over the enshrinement of convicted war criminals, following his grandfather and father. He is an advocate for water policy and water conservation, having delivered speeches at international water forums. He served as honorary president of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics and supports the World Organization of the Scout Movement. His reign began with a pledge to reflect on his father's course and fulfill his constitutional duties.

Did You Know?

• Naruhito was born during the reign of his paternal grandfather, Hirohito.
• He studied at Merton College, Oxford, and later wrote a memoir titled 'The Thames and I'.
• He has never visited Yasukuni Shrine, continuing a boycott over convicted war criminals.
• He played the viola, having switched from the violin because he thought the latter 'too much of a leader'.