Some say it is for the use of the Imperial Household…? A “near miss sales event” by Noriko Akishino’s sister-in-law

On April 21, Prince and Princess Akishino visited Ise Jingu Shrine and other shrines in Ise City, Mie Prefecture. The visit was a related event to the “Risshuji-no-rei,” a ceremony held in November 2020 to mark the fact that His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino has become the first in the line of succession to the throne, both at home and abroad. After the visit, he will also visit Nara and Kyoto.

An “underwear sales event” to be held at the hotel where they stopped for a break

On their visit, the couple will undergo PCR testing as a measure against infection by the new coronavirus, and to avoid crowding at the train station, they are using cars for all but a few of their journeys.

The unusual move was not only the mode of transportation: before arriving at Ise Jingu Shrine on January 20, the couple took a break in Nagoya City, but stopped at a different luxury hotel, not the well-established hotel normally used by members of the Imperial Family.

For security reasons, the Imperial Family’s itinerary places the highest priority on following precedent. In the case of a hotel, the route from the porte-cochere to the lobby, elevators, and rooms is set, and every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of the royal family. The hotel has a proven track record and is extremely reluctant to do anything that has never been done before.

That is why it was unusual for Prince Akishino to spend time at a hotel other than the usual well-established hotels. It is also possible that this is part of an anti-infection measure, which is typical of the Akishino family, which is trying to breathe new life into the royal family without being bound by conventional methods, but the question remains as to why.

But the question still remains as to why. “Actually, there is this story,” said a Gakushuin official, revealing something surprising in a hushed voice.

In February of this year, it was reported that Noriko’s younger brother, Shu Kawashima, had remarried. His partner is a lingerie designer who is frequently featured in the media, including TV and magazines. Her lingerie sales event will be held from April 22 to 24 at the hotel where Prince and Princess Akishino stopped by. Is this just a coincidence?

It may be a mere coincidence ……, but the fact that a woman who has just become a member of the royal family is conducting business at the same hotel used by Prince and Princess Akishino with a difference in schedule of only two days or so is being viewed by some as “using the royal family.

The fact that the designer’s underwear is made by a designer with ties to the royal family makes him a celebrity and gives him a high degree of credibility, which may make people want to buy his products.

The Akishino family has been the topic of much discussion over the past few years, and after Mako’s spouse, attention is now focusing on Funasan’s spouse. Even if the spouses themselves have no intention of doing so, considering the series of public views on the Akishino family, it is inevitable that they will be seen as using the imperial family again, isn’t it?

Mr. K., Mr. Funabashi’s second marriage partner, is now 38 years old. Upon graduating from Gakushuin University, she set her sights on becoming an underwear designer, something she had been interested in since she was a girl, and in an effort to start her own company, she worked at a club in Ginza to earn money and expand her network of contacts. In an interview with the fashion magazine “WWD Japan,” she talks about her hardships.

＜I saved money, got a loan from a bank, and worked five days a week at a club in Ginza. However, the money ran out within a year, so I resumed my part-time job at a club in Ginza after the brand was established. At one point, after serving customers at the Isetan Shinjuku pop-up store for a day, I sometimes served customers at a club in Ginza at night.

From this article, it is clear that he has gone through quite a lot of hardship and is attracting attention as a front-runner who is struggling to improve his career.

Of course, he has no right to be criticized for pursuing his dreams.

The sales event scheduled for April 22 to 24 in Nagoya will be held at the hotel where Prince and Princess Akishino stopped by on April 20. The sales event itself will not be held in a banquet hall, but in a suite room, with room numbers e-mailed only to those who have made reservations in advance.

An employee of a high-class hotel in Tokyo, who is also a representative director of Mr. K’s company, says, “I guess he got the hotel’s permission in advance.

I can understand why a customer would think it best to have a bathroom when selling lingerie, considering the need to try it on. However, using a guest room for the purpose of selling lingerie in a room that is normally used for the purpose of accommodating guests requires a great deal of rooting around or a relationship of trust. The hotel must know who is likely to come to the reserved room. If an unspecified number of people come, the hotel wants to avoid the risk of them becoming a source of spreading infection in this time of coronary disease.

Furthermore, if there is another person staying in the room next to the room where the sales event is being held, and that person complains, asking why there are so many people coming and going next door, the hotel’s credibility will be at stake. Even if permission was obtained, it would be a risky situation from the hotel’s point of view.

This kind of behavior by Ms. K has been criticized on the Internet, with some people saying that it is an imperial use of the hotel. Will Mr. K still hold the sales event as scheduled, starting on the 22nd? When we asked the company of which Mr. K is the representative director about their opinion on this matter, they replied

( As to how the company perceives the “imperial use” of the sales event, we asked Mr. K., who is the representative director of the company, about his opinion on the matter. The sales event will be held. We have the prior consent of the venue.

This was the first time we had seen a near miss in Nagoya. Was the near-miss in Nagoya a coincidence, or was it a coincidence that …… was not able to find out? We can only hope that all precautions will be taken so that this does not become a new concern.