Oeyo
Encyclopedia
, , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in late-Sengoku period
. She married three times, first to Saji Kazunari
, then to Toyotomi Hideyoshi
's nephew Toyotomi Hidekatsu. Her third and last husband Tokugawa Hidetada
became the second Tokugawa shogun. She was also the mother of his successor Iemitsu
, the third shogun.
Hidetada's changing fortunes affected Oeyo's life as well. Surviving record books from merchants of luxury goods provide insight into patterns of patronage and taste amongst the privileged class of women like Oeyo and her sisters.
daimyo
Azai Nagamasa
. Her mother, Oichi
was the younger sister of Oda Nobunaga
. Toyotomi Hideyoshi
became the adoptive father and protector of Oeyo in the period before her marriage.
Oeyo's oldest sister, styled Yodo-dono
, Cha-Cha in birth name, was a prominent concubine of Hideyoshi who gave birth to his heir, Toyotomi Hideyori
.
Oeyo's middle sister, Ohatsu was the wife of Kyōgoku Takatsugu
and the mother of Kyōgoku Tadataka.
in the Shiba
neighborhood of Tokyo
.
's 2011 Taiga drama
, Gō: Himetachi no Sengoku, is based on the life of Oeyo who is played by the actress Juri Ueno
.
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
. She married three times, first to Saji Kazunari
Saji Kazunari
was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period, who served the Oda clan....
, then to Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
's nephew Toyotomi Hidekatsu. Her third and last husband Tokugawa Hidetada
Tokugawa Hidetada
was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate.-Early life :...
became the second Tokugawa shogun. She was also the mother of his successor Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
, the third shogun.
Hidetada's changing fortunes affected Oeyo's life as well. Surviving record books from merchants of luxury goods provide insight into patterns of patronage and taste amongst the privileged class of women like Oeyo and her sisters.
Genealogy
Oeyo, also known as Ogō, was the third and youngest daughter of the Sengoku periodSengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
Azai Nagamasa
Azai Nagamasa
was a Daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japan. His clan, the Azai, were located in northern Ōmi Province, east of Lake Biwa. He was both the brother-in-law of Oda Nobunaga, starting in 1564, and one of Nobunaga's enemies from 1570-1573. Nagamasa and his clan were utterly destroyed by Oda...
. Her mother, Oichi
Oichi
or a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who married well -- Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo....
was the younger sister of Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
became the adoptive father and protector of Oeyo in the period before her marriage.
Oeyo's oldest sister, styled Yodo-dono
Yodo-Dono
or was a prominently-placed figure in late-Sengoku period. She was a concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was then the most powerful man in Japan. She also became the mother of his son and successor, Hideyori. She was also known as Lady Chacha...
, Cha-Cha in birth name, was a prominent concubine of Hideyoshi who gave birth to his heir, Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
.
Oeyo's middle sister, Ohatsu was the wife of Kyōgoku Takatsugu
Kyōgoku Takatsugu
was a daimyo of Omi Province and Wakasa Province during the late-Sengoku Period of Japan's history.Takatsugu is recognized as the founder of the modern Kyōgoku clan. His forebears had been powerful since the 13th century, but their fortunes had waned after the Ōnin War...
and the mother of Kyōgoku Tadataka.
Timeline
- 1573: Born
- 1595: Married Tokugawa Hidetada.
- 1597, May 26: Gave birth to Sen-himeSenhimeSenhime or Lady Sen was the eldest daughter of the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada and his wife Oeyo. She was born during the warring-states period of Japanese history...
- 1599, Aug. 1: Gave birth to Tama-hime (died 1622, Aug. 9; mar. 1601 Maeda Toshitsune)
- 1601, June 12: Gave birth to Katsu-hime (died 1672 March 20; mar. Matsudaira Tadanao)
- 1602, Aug. 25: Gave birth to Hatsu-hime (died 1630, April 16; mar. Kyôgoku Tadataka)
- 1604, Aug. 12: Gave birth to Iemitsu
- 1605: Hidetada becomes shogun
- 1606, June 12: Gave birth to TadanagaTokugawa Tadanagawas a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. The son of the second shogun Tokugawa Hidetada, his elder brother was the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu.- Life :...
- 1607, Nov. 23: Gave birth to Matsu-hime Tokugawa MasakoTokugawa Masako, also known as Kazu-ko, was an empress consort of Japan. She was the daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada, who was the second shogun of the Edo period of the history of Japan.* 1620 : Masako entered the palace as a consort of the Emperor Go-Mizunoo...
, who in 1620 married Emperor Go-Mizunoo (in 1629, Masako's daughter became Empress MeishōEmpress Meishowas the 109th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Meishō's reign spanned the years from 1629 to 1643.In the history of Japan, Meishō was the seventh of eight women to become empress regnant. The six female monarchs who reigned before Meishō-tennō were Suiko, ...
) - 1623: Iemitsu becomes shogun
- 1626: Died while Hidetada and Iemitsu were in KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
- 1626: Received the posthumous court rank of Juichii
Burial
After Hidetada resigned the government to his eldest son in 1623, Oeyo took a Buddhist name, or Sogenin. Her mausoleum can be found at Zōjō-jiZojo-ji
San'en-zan is a Buddhist temple in the Shiba neighborhood of Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is the Great Main Temple of the Chinzai sect of the Shingon school. The main image is of Amida Buddha...
in the Shiba
Shiba
Shiba could refer to:* Shiba Inu, a breed of dog* Shiba, Tokyo, a former ward of Tokyo, Japan* Shiba Park in Tokyo* Ryotaro Shiba—author* Kūkaku Shiba, Ganju Shiba and Kaien Shiba—fictional characters in Bleach...
neighborhood of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Taiga drama
NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
's 2011 Taiga drama
Taiga drama
is the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
, Gō: Himetachi no Sengoku, is based on the life of Oeyo who is played by the actress Juri Ueno
Juri Ueno
is a Japanese actress from Kakogawa, Hyogo, Japan. She was one of six actors to receive the "Newcomer of the Year" prize at the Japanese Academy Awards in 2005 for her role in Swing Girls....
.