Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado visited Edmonton on Friday.
She arrived at the University of Alberta’s Telus Center to first have a meeting at the Prince Takamado Japan Centre, a building named after her highness’s late husband. This visit marks the 15th anniversary of the naming of the centre.
“She has always been an important patron of the Prince Takamado Centre,” explained Lesley Cormack, the Dean of Art at the university.
The Dean also said this visit is very important for the relationship of Canada and Japan.
“Japan is one of the most important trading partners of Canada and we need to both understand their culture and their language and also their economy and how they work,” Cormack said.
For University of Alberta students that have come to study here from Japan, the visit was an exciting reminder of home.
“The Imperial Family is such a core of our heart in Japan, it was great to see her coming here to my second city, to my second home,” said Ryotaro Miyawaki, a second year student from Osaka.
The princess was also there to give a public lecture on the art of Netsuke, which are miniature sculptures, and an artistic tradition in Japan.
