Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako meet students at braille library in Kochi

Kochi – Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have visited a braille library in Kochi Prefecture, interacting with junior high and high school students.

At the Otepia Kochi Talking Book & Braille Library in the city of Kochi on Monday, the Imperial couple talked with students from the prefectural school for the visually impaired, who were conducting research using braille books, as well as with braille translation volunteers.

Emperor Naruhito asked students what books they would like to read. The Emperor and Empress picked up some books and touched the braille.

On Monday afternoon, the imperial couple met with craftspeople who make tosa washi, a type of traditional Japanese paper, at the Ino-cho Paper Museum in the Kochi town of Ino. Emperor Naruhito asked them, “Isn’t it cold and hard to do the papermaking work (in winter)?”

Also at the venue, the Emperor and Empress viewed an international print exhibition.

Later in the day, they saw an exhibition of artworks by people with disabilities at the prefectural art museum in the city of Kochi. “Your work is so colorful, vibrant and wonderful,” Empress Masako told an exhibitor.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako returned to Tokyo that night, ending their two-day trip to the prefecture.