Princess Aiko visits Ise Shrine and later Osaka and Shiga on official trips

Princess Aiko, the Imperial House’s eldest daughter, left the Imperial Palace for Mie Prefecture to attend the traditional "御木曳" ceremony at Ise Shrine, part of the 20‑year rebuilding (式年遷宮) scheduled for 2033. During the visit she also toured the Toba Aquarium, the only facility in Japan that keeps sea otters.

From August 20 she is set to travel to Osaka and Shiga for a one‑night, two‑day itinerary. In Osaka she will view a Vermeer exhibition that includes the famed "Girl with a Pearl Earring," while in Shiga she will visit a medical‑welfare facility that supports child development. The Shiga visit had been postponed in 2025 after she contracted COVID‑19.

Both trips are organized by the Imperial Household Agency and are intended to promote cultural heritage and social welfare initiatives.