(''Kazunomiya'') was the

wife A wife (plural, : wives) is a female in a marital relationship. A woman who has separated from her partner continues to be a wife until the marriage is legally Dissolution (law), dissolved with a divorce judgement. On the death of her partner, ...

of 14th ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

Tokugawa Iemochi (July 17, 1846 – August 29, 1866) was the 14th ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office from 1858 to 1866. During his reign there was much internal turmoil as a result of the "re-opening" of Japan to western nations. ...

. She was renamed Lady Seikan'in-no-miya after she took the

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

as a widow. She was the great-great-great aunt of

Emperor Akihito is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 7 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. He presided over the Heisei era, ''Heisei'' being an expression of achieving peace worldwide. Bo ...

, who reigned from 1989 to 2019.

Biography

Her birth name was Chikako. She was the eighth and youngest daughter of

Emperor Ninkō was the 120th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 仁孝天皇 (120)/ref> Ninkō's reign spanned the years from 1817 until his death in 1846, and saw further deteriorati ...

and his

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...

Hashimoto Tsuneko is a Japanese name meaning 'base of bridge', from 'bridge' and 'base'. It may refer to: *Hashimoto (surname) * Hashimoto, a place in the city of Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan *Hashimoto, Wakayama, a city in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan * Hashimoto-s ...

– renamed Kangyō'in (観行院) after she took the

. She was the younger half-sister of

Emperor Kōmei was the 121st Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 (121)/ref> Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867, corresponding to the final years of the ...

.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric ''et al.'' (2005). ''Japan encyclopedia'', p. 502; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File
A few months before her birth, her father, Emperor Ninkō, died unexpectedly. Born on 1 August 1846, her official birth date was changed to 10 May because the actual birth date was a bad omen date, and a double bad omen with the death of her father a few months before. She was known as an excellent

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

and she was also highly regarded as a ''

waka Waka may refer to: Culture and language * Waka (canoe), a Polynesian word for canoe; especially, canoes of the Māori of New Zealand ** Waka ama, a Polynesian outrigger canoe ** Waka hourua, a Polynesian ocean-going canoe ** Waka taua, a Māori w ...

'' poet.

Family

* Father:

* Mother:

(1825–1865) * Husband:

* Adopted son:

Tokugawa Iesato Prince was the first head of the Tokugawa clan after the overthrow of the Tokugawa bakufu, and a significant figure in Japanese politics and diplomacy during the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japan. When Prince Tokugawa travelled to ...

Marriage

In 1851, Chikako was engaged to

Prince Arisugawa Taruhito was a Japanese career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army, who became the 9th head of the line of ''shinnōke'' cadet branches of the Imperial Family of Japan on September 9, 1871. Early life Prince Arisugawa Taruhito was born in Kyoto in 18 ...

(有栖川宮熾仁親王). However, this engagement was subsequently broken when the Imperial court needed someone for a political marriage with the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...

. Such a marriage had been arranged by the ''

rōjū The , usually translated as '' Elder'', was one of the highest-ranking government posts under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council of Elders as a whole; under the first two ''sh� ...

Andō Nobumasa was a late-Edo period Japanese samurai, and the 5th ''daimyō'' of Iwakitaira Domain in the Tōhoku region of Japan, and the 10th hereditary chieftain of the Andō clan. He was the eldest son of Andō Nobuyori and his mother was a daughter of ...

and

Kuze Hirochika was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Edo period, who ruled the Sekiyado Domain. He served as a rōjū in the Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military gove ...

in order to foster reconciliation between the Imperial court and the shogunate, but the original candidate for the marriage died in 1861. Subsequently, the Shogunate petitioned the court for a royal marriage between Princess Kazu and Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi. Initially, Princess Kazu refused, and her brother Emperor Kōmei declined the shogunate request stating that Kazu was already engaged and did not want to leave Kyoto, and that, like any woman in Japan, his own sister could not be compelled to marry anyone she did not wish to marry, even by Imperial order. However, the proposal was taken up enthusiastically by a number of people, including Princess Kazu's mother and uncle as well as several prominent

kuge The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto. The ''kuge'' were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th century until the rise of the Kamakur ...

at the Imperial court, who persuaded both the Emperor and Princess Kazu to acquiesce to the request. Eventually Emperor Kōmei was persuaded to accept the proposal if, in return, the shogunate would repudiate the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the United States, and return to the previous isolationist policy. It was then resolved that if Princess Kazu continued to refuse to accept the marriage, Emperor Kōmei would abdicate, another member of the Imperial family would be chosen instead, and that Princess Kazu would have to become a nun. Under pressure from her family, unwilling to be responsible for Emperor Kōmei's abdication and threatened with the monastery, Princess Kazu finally agreed, but gave several conditions including demands that her lifestyle in Edo would remain the same as in Kyoto and that she would be able to return to Kyoto on the anniversaries of her father's death. Emperor Kōmei would also add the conditions that the Shogunate must deliver on its promises on foreign affairs, work out a strategy to improve the livelihood of artisans unable to compete with cheap foreign imports, and that Princess Kazu's conditions must be met. Emperor Kōmei would then make his sister a ''naishinnō'' (imperial princess of a

shinnōke was the collective name for the four cadet branches of the Imperial family of Japan, which were until 1947 entitled to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne if the main line failed to produce an heir. The heads of these royal houses h ...

). In 1862, Chikako, her mother Kangyō-in, and her chief attendant Niwata Tsuguko moved to Edo Castle with a number of attendants. Due to concerns over attacks by those against the Tokugawa shogunate's policies, security forces from dozens of

han Han may refer to: Ethnic groups * Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group. ** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...

s were mobilised to protect the procession. In addition, rumours that the support in the court for Princess Kazu's unprecedented marriage was the result of Tokugawa bribery and scheme to hold an Imperial Princess hostage led Emperor Kōmei to send Iwakura Tomomi to safeguard the court's interests. Iwakura would force the ''shōgun'' to put a vow of loyalty to paper before returning to Kyoto. The marriage ceremony was held on 11 February 1862. This ceremony differed from that of all previous Tokugawa ''shōguns'': having been made a ''naishinnō'' by her brother before leaving Kyoto, Kazu now outranked her husband as well as her mother-in-law,

Tenshō-in , also known as , was the official wife of , the 13th ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. She was the daughter of Lady Oyuki and , who was the head of the branch of the Shimazu in Satsuma. She was originally named by her parents ...

. Furthermore, Princess Kazu retained the customs of the Imperial palace, which caused considerable friction with Lady Tenshō-in. However, she apparently enjoyed such a good relationship with her husband that they are usually called the closest couple out of all the Tokugawa ''shōguns'', and Iemochi only once took a concubine, which the princess gave him permission to do. Eventually Tenshō-in would reconcile with Princess Kazu, and the ''

bakufu , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

'' submitted to her order to address her as "Kazu-no-Miya-sama", as opposed to the traditional "Midai-sama".

Buddhist nun

A series of tragedies hit Princess Kazu between 1865 and 1867. Her mother, who followed her to Edo to keep her company, died on 10 August 1865, followed by her husband ''shōgun'' Iemochi, who died in Osaka while commanding the Chōshū Expedition on 20 July 1866. She became a Buddhist nun, receiving the title of Seikan'in-no-miya (静寛院宮) on 9 December 1866, but just a few weeks later her brother Emperor Komei would also pass away. The death of Shogun Iemochi put an end to their very short marriage, and the couple did not have any children. When Iemochi's will to have

succeed him arrived in Edo, the ''

'' consulted her and

, voicing opposition to having someone so young as ''shōgun'' during such turbulent times, Seikan'in and Tenshō-in instead supported Tokugawa Yoshinobu, who would become the last Tokugawa Shogun. However their relationship quickly turned sour as public opinion turned against Yoshinobu. During the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, Seikanin and Tenshō-in helped negotiate for the peaceful surrender of Edo Castle by restraining extremists of both sides. They were therefore instrumental in maintaining the lineage of the Tokugawa family. After the shogunal surrender, Seikanin briefly returned to Kyoto. But after

Emperor Meiji , also called or , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession. Reigning from 13 February 1867 to his death, he was the first monarch of the Empire of Japan and presided over the Meiji era. He was the figur ...

moved the capital to Tokyo (the former Edo), he and her uncle persuaded Seikanin to join them there. Seikan'in arrived in Tokyo in 1874 and she took up residence in the home of

Katsu Kaishū Count , best known by his nickname , was a Japanese statesman and naval engineer during the late Tokugawa shogunate and early Meiji period. Kaishū was a nickname which he took from a piece of calligraphy (Kaishū Shooku ) by Sakuma Shōzan. He ...

, in the mansion in Azabu ichibei-cho. She remained there until her death in 1877 of

beriberi Thiamine deficiency is a medical condition of low levels of thiamine (Vitamin B1). A severe and chronic form is known as beriberi. The two main types in adults are wet beriberi and dry beriberi. Wet beriberi affects the cardiovascular system, r ...

, at the young age of 31. Her grave is at

Zōjō-ji is a Jōdo-shū Buddhist temple in Tokyo, Japan. It is the main temple of the Jōdo-shū ("Pure Land") Chinzei sect of Buddhism in the Kantō region,. Its mountain name is San'en-zan (三縁山). Zōjō-ji is notable for its relationship wit ...

, in

Minato, Tokyo is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is also called Minato City in English. It was formed in 1947 as a merger of Akasaka, Azabu and Shiba wards following Tokyo City's transformation into Tokyo Metropolis. The modern Minato ward exhibits th ...

. After World War II, her tomb was excavated for reburial. A

photographic plate Photographic plates preceded photographic film as a capture medium in photography, and were still used in some communities up until the late 20th century. The light-sensitive emulsion of silver salts was coated on a glass plate, typically thinn ...

of a man in traditional hitatare and a tachieboshi was found on her person. The image on the plate disappeared the following day, however, perhaps due to improper handling. As a result, the identity of the male is unknown. Although it is generally believed to have been of her husband,

, it has also been suggested that it could have been of her former fiancé,

. The body of Iemochi was found. An old tradition was if the husband died, his wife would cut a piece of her hair, and the hair would be buried with her husband, but the hair that was buried with Iemochi was not Kazunomiya's. There is a legend that Princess Kazu gave one of her ladies-in-waiting to Iemochi as a concubine, named Sachi. Sachi followed the ''shōgun'' to Kyoto and Osaka, but one year after Iemochi's death, Sachi was murdered by a samurai from Satsuma who believed her to be Princess Kazu.

In literature

The exhumation of Princess Kazunomiya's remains, together with the story of the mysterious fading photograph that was found with her, was referenced in

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly shaded prose works won him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal an ...

's 1961 novel '' Beauty and Sadness''.

Notes

References

* Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). ''Japan Encyclopedia''. Cambridge:

Harvard University Press Harvard University Press (HUP) is a publishing house established on January 13, 1913, as a division of Harvard University, and focused on academic publishing. It is a member of the Association of American University Presses. After the retirem ...

.
OCLC 48943301
* Satow, Ernest Mason and Baba Bunyei. (1905)
''Japan 1853–1864, or, Genji Yume Monogatari''
Tokyo: Naigai shuppan kyokai. *

The Royal Diaries ''The Royal Diaries'' is a series of 20 books published by Scholastic Press from 1999 to 2005. In each of the books, a fictional diary of a real female figure of royalty as a child throughout world history was written by the author. ''The Royal Diar ...

Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven, Japan, 1858 by

Kathryn Lasky Kathryn Lasky (born June 24, 1944) is an American children's writer who also writes for adults under the names Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann. Her children's books include several Dear America books, The Royal Diaries books, ''Sugaring Tim ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chikako, Princess Kazu 1846 births 1877 deaths 19th-century Japanese women 19th-century Buddhist nuns Japanese princesses Tokugawa clan Japanese Buddhist nuns Japanese poets 19th-century Japanese women writers 19th-century Japanese poets 19th-century Japanese calligraphers Japanese calligraphers People from Kyoto