Empress Of Japan’s Pop Culture Knowledge Impresses Netizens

The Empress of Japan visits an art exhibition in Roppongi Hills.

Netizens reacted with surprise and delight when they discovered that Empress Michiko of Japan is not so different from them after all.

On August 20, the Empress visited an art exhibition in Roppongi Hills, and mentioned that she knew who the virtual idol vocaloid star, Hatsune Miku was. News of the Empress’ familiarity with Japanese pop-culture spread like wildfire around the internet, with most netizens responding extremely positively to the fact that their 78-year old Empress is in touch with recent trends.

From MSN Sankei:

Empress Visits “LOVE Exhibition” at Roppongi Hills Mori Art Museum

The Empress of Japan visited the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills on August 20, viewing the “LOVE Exhibition: The Figure of Love Seen Through Art” which celebrates the 10th anniversary of Roppongi Hills and the gallery itself.

The exhibition houses around 200 pieces that go beyond genres, such as paintings, sculptures, photographs and so on, and includes works by Japanese and foreign artists. The empress enthusiastically viewed pieces by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who is known for her polka-dot motif, as well as paintings by Dali. There was also an exhibition about the virtual idol “Hatsune Miku”, and at one point the Empress said, “Ah, I suppose this is Miku-chan, isn’t it?”

The “virtual idol” Hatsune Miku.

Comments from Twitter:

アルケミスト広報:

This is so lovely.

kanoff:

So Hatsune Miku is already recognised by the royal family…before long she’ll be asked to a garden party.

おふぃーご:

Wow, the Empress even knows about Miku (;゜ロ゜)

mendo師匠:

This article like proof that the Emperor and the Empress are really conversant with the culture of our nation ♪
The royal family is this country’s most valuable asset!!!!!!!!

まーぼちん:

How can I put this…indeed there shall be a veritable explosion of affinity for the royal family.

ラザノア:

She’s known by the Empress, so the day must be approaching when Hatsune Miku will get citizen’s rights.

ソルティスちあき:

This is so amazing. The very fact that the Empress even went to see the exhibition…

urara☆:

The Empress is so sweet ♡ Kind of makes me feel all warm and fluffy (*´艸｀*)

ひかげごぼう:

She has class…and calling Hatsune Miku “Miku-chan” is just lovely.

Comments from 2ch.net:

名無しさん＠１３周年：

The Empress rocks!

名無しさん＠１３周年：

She knows Hatsune Miku!?
I’m so surprised at that.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

Wow, she really has a good breadth of knowledge.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

I want the Empress to refer to me as “chan” [NB “~Chan” is a suffix added to a name to make it sound cute and familiar; often added to children’s names, as well as close friends/boyfriends/girlfriends etc]

名無しさん＠１３周年：

This was the very moment that Imperial Miku was born.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

So she even knows about stuff like that, huh?
I wonder where she gets information about these things from.
Guess it’s from TV and newspapers.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

I guess she gets various bits of information about stuff like this from her grandchildren w

名無しさん＠１３周年：

Concert at the Budokan → World debut → Recongition by the Empress.
Miku’s really going up in the world.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

The royal family are always learning about whatever garners the interests of the people.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

Looks like the Empress just got a whole new group of fans w

名無しさん＠１３周年：

For the Empress to call you by name is like getting an invisible medal.

名無しさん＠１３周年：

Ah, Miku’s fame will mean she is going to gradually become distant from us…