Japanese princess heads home after studying at University of Leeds

One of the Japanese Emperor's granddaughters has completed her studies in Yorkshire and is heading back home.

Princess Kako of Akishino, 23, appeared for a press call at the University of Leeds to mark the end of her year as an exchange student in the city.

But she did not answer questions about her time in Leeds - leaving reporters to wonder whether she had squeezed in a trip to watch football at Elland Road, sampled cricket at the nearby Headingley ground or had even heard of the famous students' bar crawl known as the Otley Run.

Instead the princess, who was dressed in patterned blue dress and blue jacket, chatted with university vice-chancellor Sir Alan Langlands and Professor Alice O'Grady, Head of School of performance and cultural industries, inside Stage@Leeds - one of the university's performance venues.

The auditorium was chosen to tie in with the princess's studies.

She enrolled at the university in September last year as part of its study abroad programme, and will now return to finish her undergraduate degree at the International Christian University, in Tokyo.

The princess, who is said to have a keen interest in the arts, completed modules in the school of performance and cultural industries, including performance design and stage management, the university said.

These modules were complimented by elements of social psychology.

The spokesman said Stage@Leeds is one of the locations the princess used during her studies.

Princess Kako is the second daughter of Prince Akishino, who is the second son of Emperor Akihito.