Sayako, Princess Nori was born on 18 April 1969 as the youngest child and only daughter of the future Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan. At the time of her birth, her grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, was on the throne. As a woman, Sayako has no succession rights in Japan.
Sayako has two elder brothers, the current Emperor Naruhito and Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan. A few days after her birth, the newborn Princess was named by her grandfather. The New York Times reported, “Crown Prince Akihito’s first daughter, born April 18, was named Sayako today by her grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, and given the official title of Norinomiya or Princess Nori, Palace official said. They declared the name Sayako – Child of Cleanliness – was adopted from an honored phrase in one of Japan’s ancient poems.”1
Sayako graduated with a bachelor of Letters degree in Japanese language and literature in 1992 and then became a research associate at the Yamashina Institute for Ornithology, specialising in kingfishers. In 1998, she became a researcher there.
Sayako’s engagement to Yoshiko Kuroda was announced on 30 December 2004. He was an urban designer who was also a longtime friend of Sayako’s brother, Fumihito. This announcement had actually been delayed twice – first by the 2004 Chūetsu earthquake and then by the death of Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu. During the press conference, Sayako said, “I was drawn to his sincerity and that he has his own firm thoughts about things. Although we have few common interests and hobbies, I feel at ease with him, knowing that we share the same values and share the same sense of what is important.”2
Her fiance said, “When I met her after not seeing her awhile, I noticed her thoughtfulness and consideration for others. As I spent more time with her, I came to feel great peace of mind. After meeting her several times, I came to think about marriage. Around the beginning of this year, I asked the princess to marry me.”3
Their wedding took place the following year on 15 November 2005.
According to the Imperial Household Law, Imperial princesses who marry commoners have to relinquish their titles. With the abolition of the collateral lines of the Imperial Family in 1947, the option for Princesses to marry Princes has been drastically reduced. Sayako would be the sixth Princess to lose her royal status. Her wedding was attended by members of the imperial family, and thousands lined the streets to wish her well. Sayako later said in an interview, “Since I was very small, I knew that marriage would mean leaving the imperial family, so although I have some anxiety about starting a new life and don’t know what this will involve, I don’t feel anything entirely unexpected.”4
After her wedding, she became known as Sayako Kuroda. She received a $1.2 million wedding gift to help her now that she was no longer receiving an allowance. Sayako quit her job to focus on her new family life. She and her husband have not had any children.
In 2012, Sayako was appointed as high priestess of the Ise Grand Shrine to help out her aunt, Atsuko Ikeda – the former Atsuko, Princess Yori – who was the Chief Priestess. She eventually replaced her aunt in 2017. She still sometimes attends events with her family, such as a banquet in honour of the Belgian King and Queen. She spends several weeks a year away from Tokyo, living at Ise.
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