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Prince Hisahito on Wednesday attended for the first time Japan’s imperial New Year’s poetry ceremony, known as “utakai hajime,” at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, reciting a poem alongside other members of the imperial family.
The ceremony took place in the Matsu-no-Ma hall of the palace, where poems composed by imperial family members, an invited poet, judges and selected entrants were chanted in a traditional centuries-old cadence. This year’s theme was “mei,” meaning “bright.”
Prince Hisahito, the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, who completed his coming-of-age ceremony last year, submitted a poem for the first time and attended the ceremony.
