The Beauty and Beast of Modern Japan

The Beauty and Beast of Modern Japan
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On Tuesday, 22nd the spotlights of the world were focussed on the enthronement of the 126th Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.
Empress Masako is the 3rd commoner to break the 2600-year-old tradition and marry into the Yamato Dynasty, the legendary Japanese Chrysanthemum Throne.
But who is she? How did it happen?
It was on a chilling day of November 1986, during a tea-party organised to a Spanish royal in Tokyo. Naruhito set his eyes on this independent and intellectual beauty. Educated at Oxford and Harvard, apart from Japanese, Masako spoke fluently Russian, English, French and German. Besotted Naruhito made arrangements to meet her more times on following months and guess what – he proposed; but she declined … Should a man destined to become an emperor lick his wounds and accept this refusal? No! he should not, and he did not. Masako moved to Britain to study at Oxford, but she never left Naruhito’s heart. They kept in touch and Naruhito proposed again…, and again, she declined. Masako did not want to marry the prince because she did not want to give up her career in diplomacy and have her independence and freedom restricted. Yet, like the Japanese “Daruma” doll that is knocked down many times, but always bounces back, Naruhito persevered. ‘I will protect and love you with all my strength and where else would you better serve the diplomacy of our country if not beside me as the Crown Princess of Japan?’ In 1992, Masako finally accepted. Under the watchful eyes of sakura blossoms of April, the kabuki drama couple got engaged and married in June on the next year. Enduring the pressure to produce a male heir; unfortunately, Masako fell ill and retrieved from the public eye. Naruhito kept his word and protected and defended her against the spiteful politics of the Imperial House Agency. On 2013, slowly, but surely, Masako was back on her feet again to take her duly place at Naruhito’s side.
https://youtu.be/pc08xWZ2uNI