Prince Arisugawa Takehito

2.1. Birth and Background

Prince Takehito was born on January 13, 1862 (the 13th day of the 1st month of Bunkyū 2 in the old Japanese calendar) in Kyoto. He was the fourth son of Prince Arisugawa Takahito and Noriko Mori, a concubine, making him the eighth child overall. His childhood name was 稠宮_Sawano-miya^Japanese. The Arisugawa-no-miya house was one of the four shinnōke_{cadet branches}^Japanese of the Imperial Family, whose members were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne if the main line produced no heirs. Born while Japan was still under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, Prince Takehito was initially destined for a religious life, assigned to the Buddhist priesthood at the monzeki_temple^Japanese of 妙法院_Myōhō-in^Japanese in Kyoto.

2.2. Education and Early Military Career

With the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the traditional system of imperial princes entering the priesthood was abolished. Consequently, Prince Takehito was recalled to secular life and relocated to Tokyo in 1871, following his father's command from Emperor Meiji. In 1874, Emperor Meiji ordered him to pursue a military career, leading him to enroll in the preparatory course of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy on July 13 of that year.

In 1877, despite his youth, Prince Takehito was dispatched as an observer to the Satsuma Rebellion, a significant uprising by disaffected samurai. He landed in Kagoshima shortly after imperial forces secured it, gaining firsthand exposure to the devastation of the conflict alongside his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito. In 1876, Prince Takehito became engaged to Maeda Yasuko. In April 1878, Prince Taruhito, who was over 40 and had no heir with his consort, sought imperial permission to adopt Sawano-miya as his successor. The request was granted on May 18, and on August 26 of the same year, Sawano-miya was formally adopted by Emperor Meiji as his foster son, received the title of 親王_Shinnō^Japanese, and was given the personal name Takehito.

3.1. Overseas Training and First Commands

In 1879, Prince Takehito was appointed as a military attaché to Great Britain. He embarked on HMS Iron Duke, the flagship of the Royal Navy's Far East Fleet, for further training. He served with the Channel Squadron for approximately one year before returning to Japan as an ensign in 1880. This overseas posting was significant as it marked the first time a Japanese imperial family member traveled to Europe.

On December 11, 1880, Prince Takehito married Maeda Yasuko. Shortly after their wedding, in January 1881, he was sent back to England as a cadet to study at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He returned to Japan in June 1883, completing his comprehensive naval education. In 1889, Prince Takehito and his wife undertook an extensive tour of Europe and America, during which the travel expenses were fully borne by Princess Yasuko's family, the Maeda Marquisate, to avoid burdening the Imperial Household Agency. They departed on February 16, arriving in Kobe on April 5, 1890, after visiting Hong Kong and Shanghai, and subsequently met with Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken in Kyoto before returning to Tokyo on April 10. In February of the same year, he was appointed to the House of Peers as an Imperial Member.

His first naval command was the Japanese corvette Katsuragi in early 1890, followed by the Japanese cruiser Takao later that year, both as Captain.

3.2. Key Missions and Promotions

In 1891, Prince Takehito was assigned the important duty of escorting Russian Crown Prince Nikolai (who later became Tsar Nicholas II) during his tour of Japan. However, this mission was marred by the Otsu Scandal, an assassination attempt on Nikolai in Ōtsu, Shiga. This incident severely jeopardized diplomatic relations between Japan and Russia. However, thanks to the swift and sincere actions taken by the Japanese side, including Emperor Meiji's personal visit to Nikolai, a major diplomatic crisis was averted.

In 1892, Prince Takehito was posted as captain of the Japanese cruiser Chiyoda. On January 15, 1895, he succeeded to the Arisugawa-no-miya title upon the death of his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito. During the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), he was nominally attached to the Combined Fleet and commanded the Japanese cruisers Matsushima and subsequently the Japanese cruiser Hashidate. However, his actual service during the war was mostly land-based, first as commander of the Yokosuka Marine Corps and later attached to the Imperial General Headquarters. He was temporarily recalled to Japan for Prince Taruhito's funeral in January 1895. By the time he returned to his ship, the Battle of Weihaiwei had already concluded, meaning he did not experience direct combat during the war.

Prince Takehito continued to rise through the naval ranks, attaining the rank of rear admiral on November 11, 1896, and vice admiral on September 26, 1899. In 1897, he traveled to England to represent Emperor Meiji at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria. King Edward VII appointed him an Honorary Knight Grand Cross in the civil division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB) in November 1902. He was promoted to full admiral on June 28, 1905, and was appointed a member of the Order of the Golden Kite (3rd Class) for his service during the Russo-Japanese War. Despite this honor, his involvement in the war was limited to non-combat roles, including a period attached to the Imperial General Headquarters and a visit to Europe in 1905, where he and his wife represented the Emperor at the wedding of the German Crown Prince Wilhelm to Duchess Cecile of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. They visited Great Britain again on their return journey.

4.1. Head of the Arisugawa-no-miya House

Upon succeeding his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, as the 10th head of the Arisugawa-no-miya house on January 15, 1895, Prince Takehito assumed significant responsibilities within the Imperial Family. His trusted relationship with Emperor Meiji led to his appointment as Tōgū Fudō (Imperial Tutor) for Crown Prince Yoshihito (who would later become Emperor Taishō) from 1899 to 1903. Although he technically remained on active duty in the navy during this period, his actual engagement in military affairs significantly decreased as he focused on his imperial duties.

4.2. Health and Succession

Prince Takehito had a weak constitution from childhood and frequently took medical leaves during his naval career. After 1908, he suffered from pulmonary tuberculosis, which necessitated his semi-retirement in 1909. He moved to his summer home, the 舞子別邸_{Maiko villa}^Japanese in Tarumi-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, on September 18, 1909, to recuperate.

A profound sorrow in his later life was the premature death of his only son, Prince Arisugawa Tanehito, on April 7, 1908. Prince Tanehito, who was attending the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, Hiroshima, suffered from appendicitis and subsequently intestinal obstruction, leading to his demise. The loss of his son without a male heir meant that the direct line of the Arisugawa-no-miya house was destined for extinction, as the Imperial Household Law of 1889 prohibited adoption to preserve dynastic purity. Despite this, Prince Takehito expressed his fervent hope to Itō Hirobumi, a key figure in drafting the Imperial Household Law, that an imperial prince could be adopted to continue his house's legacy. Itō promised to consider a legal solution.

In 1910, during the enactment of the Imperial Family Status Law, Prince Takehito, though unwell, submitted his opinions on the regulations concerning the ranking of imperial family members, which were considered by Emperor Meiji. His granddaughter, Princess Kikuko, daughter of his daughter Princess Mieko, brought him considerable comfort in his final years, with sources noting his joy in her presence. In April 1911, Crown Prince Yoshihito visited Prince Takehito at his Maiko villa. In April 1912, Princess Mieko and her husband, Tokugawa Yoshihisa, visited him with their daughter Kikuko, leaving Kikuko at the villa to bring cheer to her grandfather.

4.3. Demise and State Funeral

Prince Takehito's health deteriorated significantly from March 1913, with symptoms of hemoptysis and heart palpitations. Medical professionals, along with imperial family members including the Empress Dowager 熾仁親王妃董子_{Taruhito-Shinnōhi Tōko}^Japanese and Princess Yasuko, gathered at his Maiko villa. On June 22, the Imperial Household Minister conveyed Emperor Taishō's message regarding the succession of the Arisugawa-no-miya house, which reportedly brought Prince Takehito peace of mind.

Prince Takehito passed away at his Maiko residence at 8:20 PM on July 5, 1913. However, his death was not immediately made public. His body was transported by a specially chartered train to his palace in Kōjimachi, Tokyo. On July 6, 1913, Emperor Taishō bestowed the title of "高松宮_{Takamatsu-no-miya}^Japanese" - the former name of the Arisugawa-no-miya house - upon his third son, Prince Takamatsu Nobuhito, ensuring the continuity of a related imperial branch before the formal announcement of Prince Takehito's death. His death was formally announced on July 10, 1913, with this date becoming his "official death date." On July 7, 1913, after his actual death but before the official announcement, he was granted the honorary rank of Marshal Admiral and posthumously awarded the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum.

His state funeral was held with solemn procedures. The 斂棺の儀_{Ryūkan-no-gi}^Japanese (lying-in-state ceremony) took place on July 13 at 5:00 PM, followed by the 賜誄の儀_Shiru-no-gi^Japanese (imperial message ceremony) on July 15 at 10:00 AM. The main funeral service, the 斂葬の儀_Rensō-no-gi^Japanese, commenced with a coffin-front ceremony at 4:00 AM on July 17. The procession departed from the Arisugawa-no-miya palace at 6:00 AM, arriving at Toshimagaoka Cemetery at 8:10 AM. Attendees gathered by 8:50 AM, and the burial ceremony concluded at 9:50 AM. Subsequent rites included a provisional sanctuary service and grave service on July 18, a ten-day service on July 19, a fifty-day service on August 28, a ceremony for the return of the imperial spirit on August 29, and finally, a hundred-day service on October 16, marking the conclusion of the state funeral. During these ceremonies, his young granddaughter Kikuko's innocent longing to see her grandfather in the coffin deeply moved those present.

In remembrance of his significant contributions, Emperor Taishō dispatched imperial envoys to conduct memorial services at his grave on December 6, 1915, following his accession ceremony, and again on the 25th anniversary of Prince Takehito's marriage in 1925.

5.1. Marriage and Children

On December 11, 1880, Prince Arisugawa Takehito married Maeda Yasuko (born March 15, 1864 - died June 30, 1923), the fourth daughter of Maeda Yoshiyasu, who was the last daimyō of the Kaga Domain (modern Ishikawa Prefecture). Together, they had three children:

• Princess Isako (績子女王_Isako-Joō^Japanese, October 17, 1885 - September 30, 1886), who died in infancy.
• Prince Tanehito (栽仁王_Tanehito-Ō^Japanese, September 22, 1887 - April 7, 1908), who died prematurely of appendicitis while attending the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy.
• Princess Mieko (實枝子女王_Mieko-Joō^Japanese, February 14, 1891 - April 25, 1933). She married Tokugawa Yoshihisa, the eldest son of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate. Their daughter, Kikuko, later became Princess Takamatsu through marriage.

5.2. Extinction and Revival of the Family Line

The premature death of Prince Tanehito in 1908 without a male heir meant that the direct line of descent of the Arisugawa-no-miya house became extinct upon Prince Takehito's death in 1913. This was in accordance with the Imperial Household Law, which prohibited the adoption of heirs to preserve the purity of the imperial line.

However, recognizing the historical significance and contributions of the Arisugawa-no-miya house, Emperor Taishō, Prince Takehito's boyhood friend and former pupil, decided to revive the house. On July 6, 1913, just days before Prince Takehito's official death announcement, Emperor Taishō bestowed the ancient name of Takamatsu-no-miya upon his third son, Prince Takamatsu Nobuhito, thereby continuing a branch of the imperial family under a new designation. Notably, Prince Nobuhito later married Kikuko Tokugawa, who was a granddaughter of Prince Arisugawa Takehito through his daughter Princess Mieko. This union further cemented the connection between the revived Takamatsu-no-miya house and Prince Takehito's lineage.

7.1. Memorial Sites

Several locations in Japan are dedicated to or associated with Prince Arisugawa Takehito, preserving his memory and contributions:

• The site of Prince Takehito's Tokyo palace is now the Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park, located in Minami Azabu, Minato, Tokyo. Its extensive gardens are open to the public, though the prominent bronze statue in the park is of his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito.
• His seaside summer home in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, is now the site of the annex of the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art.
• The 天鏡閣_Tenkyōkaku^Japanese in Inawashiro, Fukushima, which he personally designed, served as his summer villa. It is now designated an Important Cultural Property and functions as a public museum. On its grounds stands a large bronze statue of Prince Arisugawa Takehito, which was originally located at the Naval Staff College in Tsukiji, Tokyo. The statue, designed by Shin Kai, was proposed in 1917 and completed on October 24, 1921, standing at 66 ft ^{(20 m)} including its pedestal.
• The 舞子別邸_{Maiko villa}^Japanese in Tarumi-ku, Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture, where Prince Takehito spent his final days, is now the site of the Seaside Hotel Maiko Villa Kobe.
• Yaho Tenmangū in Kunitachi, Tokyo, holds a stone monument commemorating Japan's first documented motor drive tour. This event, known as the "Long Distance Drive Gathering," was led by Prince Takehito on August 1, 1908, with the temple as its destination.
• The Tōkai-ji Ōyama Cemetery in Shinagawa, Tokyo, contains the grave of his birth mother, Noriko Mori.
• The 徳洋記念碑_{Tokuyō Kinenhi}^Japanese (Tokuyō Memorial Stone) in Okushiri, Hokkaido, completed in 1931, honors Prince Takehito's efforts in a rescue operation after a British warship ran aground off Aonae Cape in 1880. Prince Takehito, then a naval ensign, was on board and participated in the rescue alongside island residents and other foreign warships. The monument has notably withstood the 1983 Japan Sea earthquake tsunami and the 1993 Hokkaido Nansei-oki earthquake tsunami.

7.2. Associated Organizations

Prince Arisugawa Takehito was closely associated with and served as the inaugural president or general director of several key organizations, particularly those related to maritime affairs, reflecting his deep commitment to Japan's naval development and public service:

• Imperial Japanese Naval Association (水交社_Suikokai^Japanese) - General Director
• Japan Water Rescue Association (大日本帝国水難救済会_{Dai-Nippon Teikoku Suinan Kyūsaikai}^Japanese) - First President
• Japan Seamen's Aid Association (日本海員掖済会_{Nippon Kaiin Ekisai Kai}^Japanese) - First President
• Imperial Maritime Association (帝国海事協会_{Teikoku Kaiji Kyōkai}^Japanese) - First President