Japan’s Princess Kako Visits Private School in Sao Paulo; Princess Interacts with Students, Samples Local Confectionary

By Kaori Sakaba and Mika Otsuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writers

15:06 JST, June 9, 2025

MARINGA, Brazil — Princess Kako, the second daughter of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, interacted with students during a visit to a private school in Sao Paulo on Saturday.

The princess is the first member of the Imperial family to visit the school, known as Oshiman. She was welcomed to the school by students with singing and dancing, and was served traditional local confectionary.

“This is really delicious,” said the princess after eating the sweets.

The school, founded in 1993, has about 430 students in total aged from 18-month old preschool children to third-year junior high school. About 70% of the students are of Japanese descent.

School principal Mayumi Madueno, 65, is a 3rd generation Japanese Brazilian. Her 96-year-old mother established a Japanese language school in the 1950s after she became concerned that the language and culture inherited from their ancestors would disappear as generations changed.

The princess on Sunday traveled by air to Maringa, southwestern Brazil, and attended a welcome ceremony held by a Japanese-Brazilian organization.