The Imperial Family Visits Art Museum, Views Paintings on Theme of “80 Years After War: War and Children”

The Akishino family viewed paintings and other works themed around children during wartime. On the 26th, Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, along with their second daughter, Princess Kako, and their son, Prince Hisahito, inspected oil paintings and other works at the Itabashi Art Museum that focus on the lives of children during wartime. Prince Akishino received an explanation about how the depiction of children changed as the war progressed and asked questions such as, “Was that the painter’s decision?” During a discussion with museum officials, Prince Hisahito reportedly shared his thoughts on the difference between photographs and paintings, stating, “Isn’t it that paintings contain the painter’s feelings and what they want to emphasize?” Princess Kako reportedly shared her impressions, saying, “This has been a good opportunity to think about the fact that there were children during the war era and about children in wartime.” In this year marking the 80th anniversary of the war’s end, the Akishino family has also held discussions with junior reporters in Okinawa Prefecture and inspected a photo exhibition related to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.