Prince Hisahito, third in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, turned 10 on Tuesday amid heightened interest in the Imperial Household system after his 82-year-old grandfather, Emperor Akihito, indicated last month his readiness to abdicate in the future.
The son of Princess Kiko and Prince Akishino, the younger of the Emperor's two sons, he is currently in his fourth year at an elementary school in Tokyo affiliated with Ochanomizu University.
Since last fall, Prince Hisahito has been growing rice in a paddy on the premises of his family's residence in Minato Ward, Tokyo, with the help of his parents and his older sisters, Princess Mako and Princess Kako, according to the Imperial Household Agency.