<p class="title">A Japanese princess has married a commoner in a ceremony at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Princess Ayako is the 28-year-old daughter of the emperor's cousin, and the groom, 32-year-old Kei Moriya, works for major shipping company Nippon Yusen.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The couple was shown on national news walking slowly before guests at the shrine Monday morning.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She wore a Heian-era style hairdo and a traditional robe splashed with red and green patterns while Moriya wore coattails.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Women who marry into the imperial family become members of the family, but those who marry commoners, like Ayako, must leave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito is set to marry a commoner in 2020.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Akihito has said he will abdicate. His eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1.</p>
<p class="title">A Japanese princess has married a commoner in a ceremony at Tokyo's Meiji Shrine.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Princess Ayako is the 28-year-old daughter of the emperor's cousin, and the groom, 32-year-old Kei Moriya, works for major shipping company Nippon Yusen.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The couple was shown on national news walking slowly before guests at the shrine Monday morning.</p>.<p class="bodytext">She wore a Heian-era style hairdo and a traditional robe splashed with red and green patterns while Moriya wore coattails.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Women who marry into the imperial family become members of the family, but those who marry commoners, like Ayako, must leave.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito is set to marry a commoner in 2020.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Akihito has said he will abdicate. His eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1.</p>