Princess Aiko, the 4-year-old daughter of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, watched live sumo matches for the first time on Sunday as the family visited Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan on the first day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.
Princess Aiko is said to be an avid sumo fan, having memorized the fighting names, real names and birthplaces of some wrestlers. She has reportedly also performed some of the winning moves she has seen on television at home.
Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and Princess Aiko were greeted with loud applause when they settled into a VIP booth on the second floor shortly after 5 p.m. They watched the last 10 matches of the day.
Princess Aiko wrote down the match results on a win-loss record while chatting with her parents during her first visit to a sumo tournament.
"Princess Aiko was watching each match intently," said Kitanoumi, chairman of Nihon Sumo Kyokai, the tournament organizer, who served as a guide for the royal family. "Knowing that she likes sumo is an honor for our organization."
