Emperor Akihito's marriage 50 years ago to Empress Michiko, the first commoner ever married to an heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne, brought a breath of fresh air into the Imperial family and made it easier for the people to relate to them than before.
Their marriage also paved the way for other commoners to follow in her footsteps and join the Imperial household. The couple's sons thus married outside royalty, with Crown Prince Naruhito marrying Masako Owada and Prince Akishino marrying Kiko Kawashima.
The Emperor was the Crown Prince when in summer 1957 in the resort of Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, he met his future bride, Michiko Shoda, the oldest daughter of Hidesaburo Shoda, president of the flour milling company Nisshin Seifun, during a mixed doubles tennis match.