Princess Aiko visits Noto in first trip to disaster-hit area
Princess Aiko made her first official visit to a disaster-affected area on May 18, traveling to Ishikawa Prefecture to learn more about the ongoing recovery efforts following the devastating Noto Peninsula earthquake and subsequent flooding.
Aiko, the daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, received a warm welcome as she began her two-day trip to the region.
The 23-year-old princess arrived at Kanazawa Station shortly before noon, where she was greeted by Ishikawa Governor Hiroshi Hase and cheering crowds.
Aiko went on to travel to Nanao, in the heart of the Noto Peninsula, where she visited a temporary housing complex that is home to around 40 households displaced by the disasters last year.
At a community center within the complex, she observed a group exercise class aimed at promoting health and fostering connections among residents.
She took the time to speak individually with elderly participants, offering words of encouragement such as, 'Please take care of yourself.'
Later in the day, Aiko visited the Wakura Onsen Omatsuri Hall, a hub for preserving local festival culture. There, she met with local inn operators working to revive the area's tourism industry, as well as students from Kanazawa University volunteering in disaster relief efforts.
On May 19, the princess traveled to the neighboring town of Shika, where she met shop and restaurant owners who had set up makeshift outlets in a parking lot after being affected by the disasters.
Noticing a grocery operator's pink seashell brooch, locally regarded as a symbol of good fortune, Aiko wished her success in her business.
This marks Aiko's first visit to a disaster-hit region.
A previously scheduled visit in September was canceled due to heavy rain earlier that month. The flooding hit communities still recovering from the New Year's Day earthquake that devastated the region.
Naruhito and Masako have also visited the prefecture three times since the magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the peninsula.
Princess Aiko speaks with residents of temporary housing in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, on May 18. (Pool)
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