Descendant of Goddess Weds Commoner
Reuters is reporting that Princess Sayako, the only daughter of Japan’s Emperor Akihito has wed Yoshiki Kuroda, a commoner, urban planner, and employee of Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara in a traditional Shinto ceremony.
Sayako Kuroda and Yoshiki Kuroda
photo by Koji Sasahara
The royal family of Japan is believed to be descended from Amaterasu, the Shinto goddess of the sun, ruler of the celestial realm. The couple will be visiting one of her shrines on their honeymoon.
“Honeymoon plans have not been made public, but some media reports said the couple would visit such domestic sites as the Ise Shrine in central Japan after settling into their new life. The shrine is dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu, mythical ancestor of the imperial family, which traces its history back at least 1,600 years.”
If I am reading this story right, her marriage to a commoner ends her official affiliation with the royal family. She will be considered a member of Kuroda’s family from this point forward. One could assume that this also ends her familial link to the Shinto sun goddess, but that point remains unclear.
Sayako may be the last female member of the royal family to give up her royal title upon marriage as the Japanese government is moving to pass legislation that would allow female members of the royal family to inherit the throne and to retain their titles.
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