Princess Aiko visited the National Archives of Japan in Tokyo on Saturday to view a special exhibition of Japanese literature from the country’s Heian period (794-1185).
It was the first time that the 22-year-old princess, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, performed official duties alone.
The exhibition “Dreaming Hikaru Genji” introduces Heian literature and its commentaries under the theme of dreams.
Princess Aiko looked at a rare commentary written during the Edo period (1603-1868) on “The Tale of Genji” from the Heian period and asked, “How many years did it take to complete this?”
According to a researcher who provided insight into the exhibitions, the princess said that after viewing the exhibition, she felt connected to the mentality of Heian aristocrats.
Princess Aiko graduated from Gakushuin University in Tokyo this spring. At the university’s Faculty of Arts she studied classical and medieval literature.
