is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado, and Hisako, Princess Takamado.
Biography
Childhood and education
Princess Tsuguko was born on 8 March 1986 at Aiiku Hospital in Minami-Azabu, Tokyo. She is the first daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado and his wife Hisako, Princess Takamado.
She graduated from the Gakushuin Primary School, Gakushuin Girls' Junior and Senior High School. After that, she entered the Faculty of Intercultural Studies of Gakushuin Women's College, but dropped out in March 2005. She attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland from 13 April 2004 to 1 July 2008, where she studied criminal psychology and sociology, but dropped out.
In March 2013, Princess Tsuguko graduated from the School of International Liberal Studies at Waseda University with a bachelor's degree. She works at the Japan Committee for UNICEF from April 2013.
Duties and appearances
Duties for the Imperial Family
Princess Tsuguko participates very frequently in the activities of the Imperial family: she came of age on 8 March 2006, when she turned 20. To mark the occasion, she was awarded the 2nd class of the Order of the Precious Crown and attended a press conference in her honour, during which she answered questions from reporters about her future and her past. Since then, she has been able to start taking part in activities on behalf of the Imperial Family. In 2006, Princess Tsuguko represented the Imperial family at the Silver Wedding anniversary celebrations of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg.
In August 2011, she attended the 28th Tokyo Disabilities Comprehensive Art Exhibition held in the main store of the Seibu Department Stores located in Ikebukuro, Toshima, Tokyo, with her mother Hisako. She was also taken in the photo with the laureate. In August 2013 she paid an official visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In March 2015, the Princess and her mother met Crown Prince Frederik and his wife Crown Princess Mary of Denmark during their state visit to Japan and attended some official events with them, such as the opening ceremony of the exhibition "The Spiritual Greenland" at Hillside Forum in Daikanyama.
In May 2015, she visited Watari Town, Watari District, Miyagi Prefecture, which had been damaged because of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, with her mother Hisako. She visited and inspected the 2nd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters of the Japan Coast Guard. After that, she also visited the Marine Rescue Miyagi, the regional organization of Marine Rescue Japan (her mother Hisako officiates as honorary president), laid flowers to the victims and gave a message of sympathy to the members.
In January 2018, she succeeded her mother as "Honorary President of the All Japan Archery Federation" and the following month, in February, she became "Honorary Chairman of the Japan Squash Association". Since then she has taken part in events organized by these organizations.
On 22 May 2018, Princess Tsuguko attended a "Panel for Life" event held at Haneda Airport, Tokyo, and gave a speech about her experience with animals. The Princess attended the "60th All Japan Hospital Association conference" on 6 October 2018 at Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba, Tokyo. She read her opening speech to those present and spoke to them. On 25 November 2018, Tsuguko attended the "47th All Japan Squash Championships Final" in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, and as Honorary Chairman of the Japan Squash Association, she read her opening speech and congratulated the winners at the end of the match.