Japan Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko Visit World Heritage Temple Remains in Vietnam

By Michiko Otsuka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

12:35 JST, September 25, 2023

OUTSIDE DANAN, Vietnam — Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko visited the ruins of the My Son Sanctuary, a World Heritage site in central Vietnam, on Sunday.

The visit formed part of the Crown couple’s six-day trip to Vietnam, which lasted until Monday.

The historical site includes holy remnants of the Champa Kingdom, a seafaring state that thrived from the second century to the 15th century in what is now central and southern Vietnam. Visitors can view the remains of about 70 brick- or stone-built Hindu temples that date between the eighth and the 13th centuries.

The crown prince and crown princess also attended a luncheon at a hotel in the central Vietnam city of Danan.

“I found the place really interesting and wondered how they joined the bricks together,” Crown Prince Akishino said of the ruins during an address on the occasion.