The princess, who wrote the poem for a traditional reading by members of the Japanese imperial family, a tradition dating back to the 8th century, visited a lacemaking school in Idrija, where lacemaking has been cultivated for centuries.

As the Idrija municipality was informed by Princess Kiko, the topic of this year's 15 January reading was silence or sei, and the princess wrote a poem about the silent language of children's hands that are weaving the Idrija lace, the SPIRIT agency for the promotion of entrepreneurship, investment and tourism said in a press release.