The Japanese imperial family gathered on Tuesday in Tokyo, where Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko received the annual new year greetings at the imperial palace for the last time. We saw plenty of jewels for the event -- including a tiara from a surprise attendee!
Empress Michiko has not worn tiaras for some time, but she always sparkles in fantastic jewels for this annual event. This year, she chose diamonds, including an impressive necklace with a pendant drop and earrings.
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| JAPAN POOL VIA JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images |
The biggest surprise on the day came from the woman who will become empress later this year: Crown Princess Masako, who attended the ceremony for the first time in more than a decade. In previous years, we've only seen photographs of her arriving at the palace.
This year, she donned
the Pearl Sunburst Tiara to extend her new year greetings to her parents-in-law alongside her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito. (They will ascend to the Chrysanthemum throne when Emperor Akihito abidcates this spring.)
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Masako headed up a long line of imperial princesses at the ceremony, all of whom wore traditional parures of matching diamond and pearl jewels. After Masako, we see the Princess Akishino wearing
her wedding tiara, followed by her daughters, Princess Mako (wearing
her parure) and Princess Kako (wearing
hers).
Next comes Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (in
her diamond parure), followed by her daughters, Princess Akiko (
in her parure) and Princess Yoko (
in hers).
And then we've got a perennial favorite, the Princess Takamado, wearing
her wedding parure, and Princess Tsuguko, wearing
her diamond parure.
