Braving heat and wind — but not rain or snow — superfan finds Japan's royals wherever they go

51吃瓜网 / FOCUS

Braving heat and wind — but not rain or snow — superfan finds Japan’s royals wherever they go

Imperial aficionado Fumiko Shirataki, 78, and her friend show each other photographs they took of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who passed in front of them at Kodomonokuni in Yokohama, on April 12. | REUTERS

By Elaine Lies and Kwiyeon Ha
Reuters

Apr 30, 2019

KAWASAKI – Wherever Japan’s imperials go, there too goes Fumiko Shirataki: in summer heat and winter cold, to the ocean and to the mountains.

Except when it snows or rains too hard.

“You can’t get good pictures then — and if the camera lens gets wet, it might get damaged. I really worry about that,” said Shirataki, 78, who has spent the last 26 years following and photographing Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko and especially Crown Princess Masako.