Setsuko, Princess Chichibu

Setsuko, Princess Chichibu (雍仁親王妃勢津子, Yasuhito Shinnōhi Setsuko, born Setsuko Matsudaira (松平節子, Matsudaira Setsuko); 9 September 1909 – 25 August 1995) was a member of the Japanese imperial family and the wife of Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, the second son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. Setsuko was a sister-in-law of Emperor Shōwa and an aunt by marriage of Emperor Akihito.

Setsuko
Princess Chichibu
Princess Chichibu, c. 1928
BornSetsuko Matsudaira (松平節子)
(1909-09-09)9 September 1909
Walton-on-Thames, England
Died25 August 1995(1995-08-25) (aged 85)
Tokyo, Japan
Burial
Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery, Bunkyo, Tokyo
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1928; died 1953)​
House
FatherTsuneo Matsudaira
MotherNobuko Nabeshima

Early life

Setsuko Matsudaira was born on 9 September 1909 in Walton-on-Thames, England, into the prominent Matsudaira family.[1][2] Her father, Tsuneo Matsudaira, was a diplomat and politician who later served as the Japanese ambassador to the United States (1924) and later to United Kingdom (1928), and still later, Imperial Household Minister (1936–45, 1946–47). Her mother, Nobuko Nabeshima, was a member of the Nabeshima family. Her paternal grandfather, Katamori Matsudaira, was the last daimyō of the Aizu Domain and head of the Aizu-Matsudaira cadet branch of the Tokugawa. Her maternal grandfather, Marquis Naohiro Nabeshima, was the former daimyō of the Saga Domain. Her mother's elder sister, Itsuko (1882–1976), married Prince Morimasa Nashimoto, an uncle of Empress Kōjun. Despite her prestigious heritage, Setsuko was technically born a commoner, but both sides of her family maintained kinship with distinguished kazoku aristocratic families close to the Japanese Imperial Family.

From 1925 to 1928, Setsuko was educated at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. while her father was ambassador to the United States.[3] Setsuko was fluent in English and was sometimes considered to be a Kikokushijo. Upon her return to Japan, Setsuko was chosen by Empress Teimei to marry her second son, Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, despite the fact she was a commoner.[4] Setsuko married the Prince after her uncle, Viscount Morio Matsudaira, formally adopted her, thus removing the status incongruity between the prince and his bride.[5]

Marriage
The Prince and Princess Chichibu on their wedding day
Chrysanthemum × morifolium, designated imperial personal emblem of Setsuko

On 28 September 1928, aged 19, Setsuko wed Prince Chichibu, and became Princess Chichibu.[6][7][8] The bride and groom were eighth cousins, thrice removed, as both were descended from Nabeshima Katsushige, the first lord of Saga.[9] Prince and Princess Chichibu had no children, as Princess Chichibu's only pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. However, by all accounts their marriage was filled with love and happiness for each other.[10][11]

In 1937, the prince and princess were sent on a tour of Western Europe which took several months.[10] They represented Japan at the May 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Westminster Abbey and subsequently visited Sweden and the Netherlands as the guests of King Gustav V and Queen Wilhelmina, respectively. Princess Chichibu stayed in Switzerland while her husband met Adolf Hitler in Nuremberg at the end of the trip.[12] Princess Chichibu felt a great love for the United States and for England and, as an anglophile, was greatly saddened by Japan's entry into the Second World War on the side of the Axis powers.[13][14]

Widowhood

After the Prince's death of tuberculosis in 1953,[15] Princess Chichibu became president of the Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, honorary president of the Britain-Japan Society, the Sweden-Japan Society, and an honorary vice president of the Japanese Red Cross[16] The Princess made several semi-official visits to Great Britain and Sweden.

Death

Princess Chichibu died from heart failure in Tokyo on 25 August 1995, shortly before her 86th birthday.[17][18] Princess Chichibu's autobiography, which was published posthumously as The Silver Drum: A Japanese Imperial Memoir, was translated into English by Dorothy Britton.[19]

Honours

Ancestry

Patrilineal descent
Patrilineal descent

Setsuko's patriline is the line from which she is descended father to son.

The existence of a verifiable link between the Nitta clan and the Tokugawa/Matsudaira clan remains somewhat in dispute.

  1. Descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but traditionally traced back patrilineally to Emperor Jimmu
  2. Emperor Keitai, ca. 450–534
  3. Emperor Kinmei, 509–571
  4. Emperor Bidatsu, 538–585
  5. Prince Oshisaka, ca. 556–???
  6. Emperor Jomei, 593–641
  7. Emperor Tenji, 626–671
  8. Prince Shiki, ????–716
  9. Emperor Kōnin, 709–786
  10. Emperor Kanmu, 737–806
  11. Emperor Saga, 786–842
  12. Emperor Ninmyō, 810–850
  13. Emperor Montoku 826–858
  14. Emperor Seiwa, 850–881
  15. Prince Sadazumi, 873–916
  16. Minamoto no Tsunemoto, 894–961
  17. Minamoto no Mitsunaka, 912–997
  18. Minamoto no Yorinobu, 968–1048
  19. Minamoto no Yoriyoshi, 988–1075
  20. Minamoto no Yoshiie, 1039–1106
  21. Minamoto no Yoshikuni, 1091–1155
  22. Minamoto no Yoshishige, 1114–1202
  23. Nitta Yoshikane, 1139–1206
  24. Nitta Yoshifusa, 1162–1195
  25. Nitta Masayoshi, 1187–1257
  26. Nitta Masauji, 1208–1271
  27. Nitta Motouji, 1253–1324
  28. Nitta Tomouji, 1274–1318
  29. Nitta Yoshisada, 1301–1338
  30. Nitta Yoshimune, 1331?–1368
  31. Tokugawa Chikasue?, ????–???? (speculated)
  32. Tokugawa Arichika, ????–????
  33. Matsudaira Chikauji, d. 1393?
  34. Matsudaira Yasuchika, ????–14??
  35. Matsudaira Nobumitsu, c. 1404–1488/89?
  36. Matsudaira Chikatada, 1430s–1501
  37. Masudaira Nagachika, 1473–1544
  38. Matsudaira Nobutada, 1490–1531
  39. Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, 1511–1536
  40. Matsudaira Hirotada, 1526–1549
  41. Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1st Tokugawa Shōgun (1543–1616)
  42. Tokugawa Yorifusa, 1st Lord of Mito (1603–1661)
  43. Matsudaira Yorishige, 1st Lord of Takamatsu (1622–1695)
  44. Matsudaira Yoriyuki (1661–1687)
  45. Matsudaira Yoritoyo, 3rd Lord of Takamatsu (1680–1735)
  46. Tokugawa Munetaka, 4th Lord of Mito (1705–1730)
  47. Tokugawa Munemoto, 5th Lord of Mito (1728–1766)
  48. Tokugawa Harumori, 6th Lord of Mito (1751–1805)
  49. Matsudaira Yoshinari, 9th Lord of Takasu (1776–1832)
  50. Matsudaira Yoshitatsu, 10th Lord of Takasu (1800–1862)
  51. Matsudaira Katamori, 9th Lord of Aizu (1836–1893)
  52. Tsuneo Matsudaira, (1877–1949)
  53. Setsuko Matsudaira, (1909–1995)

Footnotes
  1. Sakata, Ikuko (左方, 郁子) (March 1988). "Special Feature : Imperial Factions — Imperial Households of the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa Era — Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko, a marriage of the Imperial Family -- a bride from the Aizu clan, or the Imperial Enemy" 特集 天皇家の閨閥--明治･大正･昭和の皇室 天皇家の結婚 秩父宮妃勢津子--朝敵「会津」の嫁入り. Rekishi Dokuhon. Kadokawa Publication. 33 (5 (472)): 102～109 (plate number 0053.jp2-).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Itō, Zensō (伊藤善創) (2018). Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko, the Granddaughter to Matsudaira Katamori of the Aizu clan : Praying for the 90th Wedding Anniversary : 150th Anniversary of the Meiji Era 会津松平容保公御孫姫秩父宮妃勢津子さま : ご成婚九十周年を祈念して : 明治150年企画 (in Japanese). Fukushima Mimpō Newspaper (contibutor. 編集協力: 福島民報社). Fukushima: Mimpo Printing (民報印刷 制作・印刷). ISBN 978-4-904834-37-4.
  3. Roosevelt, Eleanor (May 28, 1953). "1953 – My Day". The Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Digital Edition (www.gwu.edu).
  4. Okamoto 1928, p. 76 (plate number 0045.jp2)
  5. Matsudaira, Tsunekazu (松平恒忠). "Memories of Grandfather Matsudaira Tsuneo and Aunt Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko" 祖父松平恒雄と叔母秩父宮妃勢津子の思い出. Rekishi to Tabi (歴史と旅). 24 (9 (368)): 128-133 (plate number 0067.jp2-).
  6. Kampō 1928a, pp. 675
  7. Kampō 1928b, pp. 741 (plate number 0002.jp2), "Announcement / Kunaishō / Number 29 / Marriage notice of Prince Yasuhito with the niece of Viscount Matsudaira Yasuo"
  8. Kampō 1928b, pp. 746 (plate number 0005.jp2), "Announcement/ Naimushō / Number 256 / Decorations and appointments (Shōkunkyoku) – as of 28 September Shōwa 3rd (1928) ; Princess Setsuko of Prince Chichibunomiya Yasuhito – Appointed to the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (1st class)."
  9. "Genealogy". Reichsarchiv (in Japanese). 8 May 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  10. Bungei shunjū 1973
  11. Female staff writer (May 1929). "The Daily Life of Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko" 秩父宮妃勢津子殿下の御日常. Shufu No Tomo. Shufu no tomo-sha. 13 (5 (May issue)): 35-38 (plate number 0063.jp2-).
  12. Gotemba seiwa 1948
  13. Chichibunomiya Setsuko (January 1949). "Amerika no gaku'en seikatsu wo shinonde" アメリカの学園生活を偲んで. New Age (ニューエイジ). Mainichi Newspaper. 1 (1): 26- (plate number 0015.jp2). doi:10.11501/2310430.
  14. [[#CITEREF|]], pp. 25–27
  15. NDL digital collection 1995
  16. Chichibunomiya Setsuko (January 1951). "Congratulatory Remarks : National Health and the Mission of the Association" 祝辞 国民の健康と協会の任務. Journal of the Japanese Nursing Association. 3 (6): 5 (plate number 0006.jp2).
  17. Murayama, Tomi'ichi (interviewed, 村山富市) (April 1998). Cabinet Secretariat (Japan) (内閣総理大臣官房) (監修) (ed.). "A tribute to the late Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko (25 August 1995)" 秩父宮妃勢津子殿下のご訃報に接しての謹話 (平成7・8・25). 村山内閣総理大臣演説集 (in Japanese). Nihon Kōhō Kyōkai (日本広報協会): 112.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. Kirimo: Commemorating the Completion of the Relief of Her Imperial Highness Chichibunomiya Setsuko きりも : 秩父宮妃勢津子殿下御尊影レリーフ完成記念 (in Japanese). Ōtaki Village (Saitama Prefecture): Chichibunomiya Setsuko-hi Rerīfu kensetsu Īnkai (秩父宮妃勢津子殿下レリーフ建設委員会 ). 2000.
  19. Chichibunomiya Setsuko (August 1991). "For my memoir "Silver Bonbonniere"" 回想記｢銀のボンボニエール｣に寄せて. Bungei Shunjū (文芸春秋). Bungeishunjū. 69 (9): 92-93 (plate number 0069.jp2-). doi:10.11501/3198575 – via NDL.

References
  • 岡本, 瓊二 (1928). "Dai-4 Chichibunomiya Yasuhito Shin'nō §3. Go-kon'yaku" 第四 秩父宮雍仁親王殿下 §三、御婚約. In Okamoto, Keiji (岡本, 瓊二) (ed.). Kōshitsu to Gotairei 皇室と御大礼 (in Japanese). Tokyo: Monass (モナス). p. 76 (plate number 0045.jp2). doi:10.11501/1874753.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) Available only at the NDL and its partner libraries or to official registered users in Japan.
  • Office of Imperial Household (Kunaishō) (1928-09-27). Ōkurashō Insatsu-kyoku (ed.). "Prince Yasuhito had wedding ceremony with Setsuko, the niece to Viscount Matsudaira Yasuo (Announcement #28, Kunaishō)" 告示 / 宮内省 / 第28号 / 雍仁親王殿下子爵松平保男姪勢津子ト結婚ノ禮ヲ行ハセラル. Kampo (官報). 日本マイクロ写真. 1928-09-27: 675. doi:10.11501/2956989 – via NDL.
  • 大蔵省印刷局 (1928-09-28). National Printing Bureau (ed.). "Announcements" 告示. Kanpō (官報 昭和3年) (in Japanese). 1928-09-29 (530): 741, 746 (plate numbers 0002.jp2, 0005.jp2). doi:10.11501/2956991 – via NDL.
    • Kitokurō Hitotsugi (一木, 喜徳郎, Hitotsugi, Kitokurō, Kunaishō). "Announcement by Kunaishō #28 - Marriage notice of Prince Yasuhito with the niece of Viscount Matsudaira Yasuo. (宮内省 / 第29号 / 雍仁親王殿下本日正四位勲三等功五級子爵松平保男姪勢津子ト結婚セラル)". p. 741 (plate number 0002.jp2)
    • Naimushō (内務省). "Announcement by Naimushō #256 - Decorations and appointments (Shōkunkyoku) – as of 28 September Shōwa 3rd (1928) ; Princess Setsuko of Prince Chichibunomiya Yasuhito – Appointed to the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (1st class). " p.746 (plate number 0005.jp2)
  • Shōwa yūchiku nōgyō jikkō-kumi'ai (昭和有畜農業実行組合), ed. (November 1962). "3. The imperial visit by Prince Yasuhito and Princess Setsuko of the Chichibunomiya Household (3. 秩父宮雍仁親王殿下同勢津子妃殿下のお成り, 3. Chichibunomiya Yasuhito shonnō-denka dō Setsuko denka no onari)". Shōwa kaitakushi 昭和開拓史 (in Japanese). Shinjō, Saitama Prefecture. pp. 22 (plate number 0016.jp2).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • 内閣官房 (December 1995). "Tsuiroku": Naikaku seido hyakunen-shi (Ge-kan) 内閣制度百年史. 下巻 追録 - 国立国会図書館デジタルコレクション. pp. 25-27 (plate number 0014.jp2-). doi:10.11501/11932167. Retrieved 2022-09-23 – via dl.ndl.go.jp. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  • Kase, Toshikazu. (加瀬, 俊一) (October 1995). "Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibu's Jewel Box: a Goodwill Gift by the US Ambassador to Japan Mr. and Mrs. Glou at the break of WW2" 秩父宮妃殿下の宝石箱――開戦時、グルウ米駐日大使夫妻に贈られた善意. Sokoku to seinen (祖国と青年) (in Japanese). Nihon kyōgikai (日本協議会). 26 (10 (205)): 25-27 (plate numbers 0014.jp2-).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • ** Tanaka "In mourning for the death of Her Imperial Highness Princess Chichibunomiya Setsuko (秩父宮妃勢津子殿下の薨去を悼み奉りて, Chichibunomiya hi Setsuko denka no kōkyo wo itami tatematsurite)". pp.20-24 (plate number 0012.jp2-)

Further reading
  • Prince Chichibu; Princess Setsuko (1948). Yanagisawa, Takeshi (ed.). Gotemba seiwa 御殿場清話. Figures series #1. Sekai no nihon-sha. NCID BA35453355.
  • Chichibunomiya Setsuko ; Shirasu, Masako (白洲, 正子) ; Asō, Kazuko (麻生, 和子). (April 1951). "Yōshun teidan (teidan) (陽春鼎談(鼎談)). Fujin kōron vol. 37, no.4, pp56-65. Chūōkōron Shinsha, NAID 1521699230338642816.
  • Chichibunomiya Setsuko (January 1973). "History of Showa period I shared with Prince (Interview) (宮さまと私の昭和史〔談話〕, Miyasama to watakushi no shōwashi 'Danwa')". Bungei shunjū. 51 (1): 220–231. NAID 1521699229931106688.
  • Chichibunomiya Setsuko. (February 1976) "Kōzoku danran (皇族団欒)". Bungei shunjū,　vol. 54, issue 2, pp.p282-300, Bungeishunjū, NAID 1521980705157621504.
  • Uyeno, Toshio (上野, 寿郎) Aizu no hiroku: Chichibunomiya Setsuko hidenka to Takajo (会津の秘録 : 秩父宮勢津子妃殿下とたか女). Toshio Uyeno, 1987. NCID BA5808818X.
  • Watanabe, Midori (渡辺, みどり). Haran no purinsesu : Chichibunomiya Setsuko hi no shōwashi (波瀾のプリンセス : 秩父宮勢津子妃の昭和史). Asahi Newspaper, 1995, "Asahi news shop series #031", NCID BN13181934.
  • Princess Chichibu. The Silver Drum: A Japanese Imperial Memoir. Folkestone, Global Books Ltd.(distribution, UK) (May 1996). Trans. Dorothy Britton. ISBN 1-86034-004-0
    • Prince and Princess Chichibu : two lives lived above and below the clouds. Rev. and expanded 2nd ed. Folkestone, Global Books Ltd.(distribution, UK) (2010). Trans. Britton, Dorothy. ISBN 1905246242, 9781905246243. Including a complete translation of Setsuko, Princess Chichibu's memoir The silver drum.
  • Ema, Shuichi. Chichibu no Miya Hi Setsuko no shogai. Kaibushiki Kaisha Kuppon (1996). ISBN 4-88975-601-9 (Japanese)
  • Lebra, Sugiyama Takie. Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility. University of California Press (1995). ISBN 0-520-07602-8
  • Fujitani, T. Splendid Monarchy: Power and Pageantry in Modern Japan. University of California Press; Reprint edition (1998). ISBN 0-520-21371-8
  • Chichibunomiya Sestuko-hi no yoso'oi — Shinshūhinten "Meiji/Taishō/Shōwa no yoso'oi" yori (特集カラー1 秩父宮勢津子妃の装い--新収品展「明治・大正・昭和の装い」より) (May 2002). Rekishi dokuhon, vol.47, no.5, pp.11-13,Shinjinbutsu Ōrai-sha, NAID 1521699230029337984.
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