The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie have just wrapped up their tour of Japan, from Tokyo to Koyasan.
An update about the end of their royal tour has come via the Royal Family’s official Instagram account and it featured a collection of over 10+ pictures from their visit.
The pictures were from both the 2025 Expo, a brief sit down for cupcakes with young kids, an open-air telescope watching event, and many other visits.
There was also a caption that thanked Japanese hospitality and reads, “Goodbye and thank you, Japan! 日本の皆さま、ありがとうございました！(Thank you to everyone in Japan!)”
“The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s visit has been all about looking to the future. From Tokyo to Koyasan and Expo 2025 Osaka, this trip celebrated the friendship between our two nations. Thank you for the warm welcome!”
For those unversed the couple visited Japan especially to take part in a number of initiatives. Their visit started on the 19th of September, where they met guests from “MUSUBI partner organisations such as Liverpool Football Club's International Academy, SSE Pacifico, Robert Walters, and University College London.”
According to the official website, “Their Royal Highnesses also met Hello Kitty, who serves as a MUSUBI friendship ambassador. The newly launched MUSUBI, which means ‘connection’ in Japanese, initiative is designed to build relationships between people and businesses in the UK and Japan. The initiative will secure investment to support programmes including scholarships, sports and cultural exchanges, and women's empowerment in business.”
Furthermore “During the reception, The Duke and Duchess watched a short musical performance, and The Duke gave a 'kanpai' (meaning 'toast') to celebrate the initiative's successes and growing network of supporting partners.”
After that, “Next, at the Akasaka Detached Palace, Their Royal Highnesses undertook a private audience with Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince and Crown Princess Akishino in recognition of the ties between the Royal and Imperial families.”
For those unversed, “The Duke and Duchess planted an oak sapling in the garden of the Akasaka State Guest House, cultivated from a seed of the original tree Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II planted during a State Visit in May 1975.”
After that they visited the National Sumo Arena, and met with the Japanese Royal Family too.