Princess Aiko on Saturday visited the National Archives of Japan in Tokyo to view a special exhibition featuring Japanese literature from the country's Heian Period (794-1185).
It was the first time for the 22-year-old princess, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, to perform official duties alone.
The "Dreaming Hikaru Genji" exhibition introduces Heian literature and its commentaries under the theme of dreams.
Princess Aiko looked at a rare commentary written during the Edo Period (1603-1868) on "The Tale of Genji" from the Heian Period and asked, "How many years did it take to complete this?"
According to a researcher providing insights on the exhibits, the princess expressed that after viewing the exhibition, she felt connected to the mindset of Heian aristocrats
Princess Aiko graduated from Gakushuin University in Tokyo this spring. At the university's Faculty of Letters, she studied classic and medieval literature.