Emperor Emeritus, Empress Emerita Enjoy Stroll in Cabbage Field in Nagano Pref. Resort Town

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:49 JST, August 24, 2023

KARUIZAWA, Nagano — The Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, currently on a retreat in the resort town of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, took a leisurely stroll through a cabbage field during a visit to the historic Ohinata district on Wednesday.

As they walked hand in hand, the couple also enjoyed the local scenery of the highlands including Mt. Asama.

“We’ve been able to have a pleasant stay here for the first time in a while,” the Emperor Emeritus told reporters with a smile.

The Ohinata district is where Japanese people who had lived in the northeast Chinese region formerly known as Manchuria resettled after returning to Japan following the end of World War II.

The Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita started visiting the district during summer holidays when they were the crown prince and crown princess.