is, through marriage, a member of the Japanese Imperial Family.

Biography

She is the eldest daughter of Japanese industrialist Shigejiro Tottori. Hisako accompanied her father to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, where he was transferred for work, and while still a child became fluent in the English language

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

. She subsequently graduated from Girton College

Girton College, Cambridge

Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...

, Cambridge University

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...

 in the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 in 1975 with undergraduate degrees in anthropology

Anthropology

Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...

 and archaeology

Archaeology

Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...

. On her return to Japan, she obtained a position working for a translation company, but soon returned to England to learn about legal terminology used in statute

Statute

A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs a state, city, or county. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. The word is often used to distinguish law made by legislative bodies from case law, decided by courts, and regulations...

s. She returned to Japan again in 1982. After her return, she was hired to assist Prince Mikasa

Prince Mikasa

is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. He is the fourth and youngest son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa , and is the only surviving paternal uncle of Emperor Akihito. With the death of his sister-in-law, Princess Takamatsu , on 17 December 2004, he...

 as an interpreter and assistant at the 31st International Asian-North African Cultural Symposium.

Marriage and family

On 23 April 1984, she attended a reception hosted by the Embassy of Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 in Tokyo, where she first met Prince Takamado (Norihito)

Prince Takamado

was a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the third son of HIH Prince Mikasa and HIH Princess Mikasa. He was a first cousin of Emperor Akihito, and formerly was seventh in line to the Chrysanthemum throne.-Education:...

. He proposed on 20 May, with the formal engagement made on 17 September 1984, and the wedding held on 6 December 1984. The Prince and Princess had three daughters:

Public service

Prince and Princess Takamado were the most widely traveled couple in the Japanese Imperial Family, visiting 35 countries together in 15 years to represent Japan on various functions. The Prince’s last visits included Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

 and Morocco

Morocco

Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...

 in May 2000, Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 in July 2001 (to promote the Japanese tea ceremony

Japanese tea ceremony

The Japanese tea ceremony, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. In Japanese, it is called . The manner in which it is performed, or the art of its performance, is called...

), and to the Republic of Korea from May to June 2002. The latter was in order to attend the Opening Ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan. The goodwill visit by the Prince and Princess to Korea was the first Japanese royal visit since World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, and was an important step in the promotion of friendly bilateral relations between Japan and Korea. While in Korea, the couple toured the country extensively, met with President Kim Dae-jung and ordinary Koreans, And He visited the facilities for the physically disabled

Disability

A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...

 in South Korea that the Princess Nashimoto Masako

Bangja, Crown Princess Euimin of Korea

Yi Bangja, Crown Princess Uimin of Korea was the consort of Crown Prince Euimin of Korea...

 had sponsored.

Prince Takamado died of ventricular fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation

Ventricular fibrillation is a condition in which there is uncoordinated contraction of the cardiac muscle of the ventricles in the heart, making them quiver rather than contract properly. Ventricular fibrillation is a medical emergency and most commonly identified arrythmia in cardiac arrest...

 while playing squash

Squash (sport)

Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...

 with the Canadian ambassador

Ambassador

An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....

, Robert G. Wright

Robert G. Wright

Robert G. Wright is a former Canadian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the People's Republic of China and to Mongolia. He was appointed Ambassador to People's Republic of China on August 19, 2005 until 2009. From 2001 to 2005 he was the Ambassador of Canada to Japan.-External links:*...

, at the Canadian Embassy, leaving a widow and three young daughters. Since the Prince’s death, Princess Takamado has been extremely active in a very large number of charitable organizations involving sports, cultural exchange and the environment, taking on all of the posts formerly held by her late husband, as well as numerous new posts.

June 2003, she visited Dublin, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games

2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games

The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games were hosted in Ireland, with participants staying in various host towns around the island in the lead up to the games before moving to Dublin for the events. Events were held from 21 June-29 June 2003 at many venues including Morton Stadium, the Royal...

. In June 2004, she made an official visit to Canada, traveling extensively across the nation as part of the 75th Anniversary of the formal diplomatic relations between Canada and Japan. During this visit, she received two honorary doctorates in Law, one from the University of Alberta

University of Alberta

The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...

 and the other from the University of Prince Edward Island

University of Prince Edward Island

The University of Prince Edward Island is a public liberal arts university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and the sole university in the province. Founded in 1969, it traces its roots back to its two earlier predecessor organizations, St. Dunstan's University and Prince of Wales...

. In November 2004, she visited Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, to attend the 3rd IUCN World Conference as Honorary President of BirdLife International

BirdLife International

BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...

.

In March 2004, Her Highness was elected to succeed Queen Noor of Jordan as Honorary President of BirdLife International. She visited Montevideo

Montevideo

Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...

, Uruguay

Uruguay

Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...

 in 2008, and Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...

, Argentina

Argentina

Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

 for the Birdlife World Conservation Conference. During this visit, she attended special high goal polo

Polo

Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...

 exhibition played by the Novillo Astrada brothers in her honor at the La Aguada Polo Club.

In June 2005, she visited Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 to attend the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup

2005 FIFA Confederations Cup

-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack...

, attending matches between Germany against Argentina, and Japan against Brazil. Afterwards, she visited Jordan

Jordan

Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...

 to attend the royal wedding of Princess Badiya bint El Hassan

Princess Badiya bint El Hassan

Princess Badiya bint El Hassan was born on March 28, 1974 in Amman, Jordan. Her father is Prince Hassan bin Talal and her mother is Princess Sarvath El Hassan.-Education:* Amman Baccalaureate School* Sherborne School for Girls...

. In November of the same year, returned to England for the Global Council Meeting of BirdLife International. In January 2006, she returned to Canada to attend the opening of the “Prince Takamado Gallery of Japan” at the Royal Ontario Museum

Royal Ontario Museum

The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...

. She also returned to Germany later that year in order to attend the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

The Princess is the author of a children's book titled Lulie the Iceberg (OUP, 1998); it is her second book.

Honorary positions

• Patron of the Japan Grass Ski Association
• Patron of the Federation of Japan Amateur Orchestras Corp
• Honorary President of Ikebana International http://www.ikebanahq.org/profile.html
• Honorary President of the Amateur Rubberball Baseball Association of Japan
• Honorary President of the All Japan Archery Federation
• Honorary President of the Japan Fencing Federation
• Honorary President of the Marine Rescue Japan (MRJ)
• Honorary President of the Japan Hockey Association
• Honorary Patron of the Japan Football Association
• Honorary President of the Japan Spanish Society
• Honorary Patron of Center For Promotion Of Folk-Performing Arts
• Honorary President of the Inamori Foundation
• Honorary President of the Japan Sailing Federation
• Honorary Chairman of Japan Squash Association
• Honorary President of Junior Sea Friend's Federation of Japan
• Honorary Patron of the Japan National Student Association Fund
• Honorary Patron of the Asiatic Society of Japan
• Honorary Patron of Les Amies de Langue Francaise
• Honorary Governorship of the Japan-Egypt Association
• Honorary Patron of the Canada-Japan Society
• Honorary President of BirdLife International
• Honorary Chairman of the International Education Center Supporter Association
• Honorary Vice-President of the Japanese Red Cross
  Japanese Red Cross
  The ' is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross.The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with Empress as Honorary President and other royal family members as vice-presidents. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo and local chapters are set up in all 47...
  
   Society
• Honorary Patron for Asia, Bird life International's Rare Bird Club
• Honorary Chairman of The International Kyudo Federation

External links

• Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado - The Imperial Household Agency
• BirdLife International | Princess Takamado becomes BirdLife’s Honorary President
• EXPO 2005 Canada | Princess Takamado Visit
• Japan Red Cross Society | Honorary Vice-Presidents
• BBC News | Japanese royals make symbolic trip to Seoul