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was a female
historical figure A historical figure is a significant person in history. The significance of such figures in human progress has been debated. Some think they play a crucial role, while others say they have little impact on the broad currents of thought and social ...
in the late
Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
. She is known primarily as the mother of three daughters who became prominent figures in their own right –
Yodo-dono or (1569 – June 4, 1615) was a prominently placed figure in the late- Sengoku period. She was the daughter of Oichi and sister of Ohatsu and Oeyo. She was a concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was then the most powerful ...
,
Ohatsu or (1570 – September 30, 1633) was a prominently placed figure in the late Sengoku period. She was daughter of Oichi and Nagamasa Azai, and the sister of Yodo-dono and Oeyo. Alongside her sisters, she was active in the political intrigue ...
"The silk coloured portrait of wife of Takatsugu Kyogoku,"
Digital Cultural Properties of Wakasa Obama.
and
Oeyo , , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in the Azuchi–Momoyama period and early Edo period. She was daughter of Oichi and the sister of Yodo-dono and Ohatsu. When she rose to higher political status during ...
. Oichi was the younger sister of
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
; and she was the sister-in-law of
Nōhime , also known as Kichō (帰蝶), was the legal wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime ...
, the daughter of
Saitō Dōsan , also known as Saitō Toshimasa (斎藤 利政), was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Saitō Dōsan"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 809. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics. His hono ...
. She was descended from the
Taira The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided ...
and
Fujiwara Fujiwara (, written: 藤原 lit. "''Wisteria'' field") is a Japanese surname. (In English conversation it is likely to be rendered as .) Notable people with the surname include: ; Families * The Fujiwara clan and its members ** Fujiwara no Kamatari ...
clans. She was an influential figure in
Japanese history The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new inventi ...
in the Sengoku period. Although remembered mainly for her tragic life as sister of Oda Nobunaga, Japan's first unifier, Oichi is also famous for her honorable conduct, her beauty and determination. She was present at two historically significant battles, the
siege of Odani The 1573 was the last stand of the Azai clan, one of Oda Nobunaga's chief opponents. and the first battle of Oda Nobutada. Prelude In September, 1573, Oda Nobunaga defeated the Asakura clan_at_the_Siege_of_Ichijodani_Castle.html" ;"title="D ...
and the siege of Kitanosho, sieges that led to the extermination of the powerful Azai and
Shibata clan The Shibata clan (新発田氏, ''Shibata shi'') was a Japanese clan that originated during the Heian period (12th century) of Japan. The Shibata clan of Echigo were descended from Sasaki Moritsuna, a supporter of Minamoto no Yoritomo and a son ...
, respectively.


Biography

Oichi was born in 1547 in Nagoya Castle, Owari Province, the fifth daughter of
Oda Nobuhide was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and magistrate of the Sengoku period known as "Tiger of Owari" and also the father of Oda Nobunaga the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobuhide was a deputy ''shugo'' (Shugodai) of lower Owari Province and head of the ...
. She was the younger sister of Nobunaga and
Oinu Oinu (お犬, died September 24, 1582) was a Japanese historical figure and a member of the prominent Oda clan in the Sengoku period. She was the daughter of Oda Nobuhide and the younger sister of Oda Nogunaga, one of the leading figures of the Se ...
. Her mother was an unnamed concubine who said to have also given birth to several of her siblings. Her other names include Ichihime (市姫), Odani no Kata (小谷の方), and Hideko (秀子). She was prized as a beauty of her time and was cherished by her older brother. She was intelligent and speculated to be slightly taller than most women of the age. Nobunaga once stated, "If Oichi was a man, she would make a fine warrior." Following Nobunaga's conquest of Mino in 1567, Nobunaga arranged for Oichi, then twenty years old, to marry the rival warlord
Azai Nagamasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period known as the brother-in-law and enemy of Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was head of the Azai clan seated at Odani Castle in northern Ōmi Province and married Nobunaga's sister Oichi in 1564, fathering h ...
, in an effort to cement an alliance. Nobunaga was very grateful for the marriage and paid for the ceremony entirely (traditionally, the expenses are meant to be shared). Oichi bore Nagamasa one son (Manjumaru) and three daughters –
Yodo-dono or (1569 – June 4, 1615) was a prominently placed figure in the late- Sengoku period. She was the daughter of Oichi and sister of Ohatsu and Oeyo. She was a concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was then the most powerful ...
,
Ohatsu or (1570 – September 30, 1633) was a prominently placed figure in the late Sengoku period. She was daughter of Oichi and Nagamasa Azai, and the sister of Yodo-dono and Oeyo. Alongside her sisters, she was active in the political intrigue ...
and
Oeyo , , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in the Azuchi–Momoyama period and early Edo period. She was daughter of Oichi and the sister of Yodo-dono and Ohatsu. When she rose to higher political status during ...
. The two clans prospered and worked well together until three years later. Seeing Nobunaga abuse the shogun's power, their relations grew sour and Nagamasa betrayed Nobunaga. In the summer of 1570, Nagamasa betrayed his alliance with Nobunaga and went to war with him on behalf of the Asakura family in the
Battle of Anegawa The Sengoku period (30 July 1570) occurred near Lake Biwa in Ōmi Province, Japan, between the allied forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu, against the combined forces of the Azai and Asakura clans._It_is_notable_as_the_first_battle ...
. A story relates that Oichi sent her brother a sack of beans tied at both ends, ostensibly as a good-luck charm but in reality a warning that he was about to be attacked from both front and rear by the Asakura and Azai clans. According to the story, Nobunaga understood the message and retreated from his brother-in-law's assault in time. The fighting continued for three years until the Asakura and other anti-Oda forces were destroyed or weakened. Oichi remained with her husband at
Odani Castle 280px, Map of Odani Castle was a Sengoku period mountain-top Japanese castle located in the former town of Kohoku, now part of Nagahama city, in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Only the ruins remain today. It was the home castle of the Azai clan and t ...
throughout the conflict, even after
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
, a trusted vassal of Nobunaga at the time, began laying siege to the castle. In the
Siege of Odani Castle The 1573 was the last stand of the Azai clan, one of Oda Nobunaga's chief opponents. and the first battle of Oda Nobutada. Prelude In September, 1573, Oda Nobunaga defeated the Asakura clan_at_the_Siege_of_Ichijodani_Castle.html" ;"title="DF ...
, Nobunaga requested that his sister be returned to him before the final attack. Nagamasa agreed, sending out Oichi and her three daughters.Yoshikawa, Eiji. (2000)
''Taiko,'' p. 421.
/ref> Nagamasa had no hope of winning, and chose to commit seppuku. Oichi and her daughters remained in the Oda family's care for the next decade. After Nobunaga was assassinated in 1582, his sons and vassals broke into two major factions, led by two of Nobunaga's favored generals,
Shibata Katsuie or was a Japanese samurai and military commander during the Sengoku period. He served Oda Nobunaga as one of his trusted generals, was severely wounded in the 1571 first siege of Nagashima, but then fought in the 1575 Battle of Nagashino an ...
and Hideyoshi. Nobunaga's third son, Nobutaka, belonged to the former group, and arranged for his aunt Oichi to marry Katsuie in order to ensure his loyalty to the Oda clan. But in 1583, Katsuie was defeated by Hideyoshi in the
Battle of Shizugatake The was a battle of the Sengoku period of Japan fought between Toyotomi Hideyoshi (then Hashiba Hideyoshi) and Shibata Katsuie in Shizugatake, Ōmi Province in May 1583. Katsuie supported Oda Nobutaka's claim as successor of Oda Nobunaga in ...
, forcing him to retreat to his home at
Kitanosho Castle was a ''hirashiro'' (castle located on flatland). Its remains are located in current-day Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. As the castle lasted merely eight years, few records survive about it. It is known, though that it was built by Shibata Katsu ...
. As Hideyoshi's army lay siege to the castle, Katsuie implored Oichi to flee with her daughters and seek Hideyoshi's protection. Oichi refused, insisting on dying with her husband after their daughters were sent away. Her daughters were placed in the care of by Hideyoshi; the oldest daughter, Yodo-dono (also known as Chacha), eventually became one of Hideyoshi's concubines and the mother of his heir.


Oichi's daughters

File:Yodo-dono cropped.jpg, File:Azai Ohatu.jpg, File:Oeyo.jpg, Oichi's three daughters each went on to become important historical figures in their own right. The eldest and the most famous,
Chacha Cha-Cha, Cha Cha, ChaCha or Chacha may refer to: Music * Cha-cha-cha (dance), a dance of Cuban origin * Cha-cha-cha (music), a genre of Cuban music * ''Cha Cha'' (album), a 1978 album by Herman Brood & His Wild Romance * ''Cha Cha'' (soundtrack), ...
became a
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 ...
to Hideyoshi, whose army had killed not only both her birth parents but also her stepfather. She became known as Yodo-dono or Yodogimi (from Yodo Castle, given to her by Hideyoshi), and she bore him his only two sons, including his heir Hideyori. Yodo-dono and Hideyori later died in the
siege of Osaka The was a series of battles undertaken by the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages (winter campaign and summer campaign), and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege ...
, in 1615, the final battle of the warring-states era. The second,
Ohatsu or (1570 – September 30, 1633) was a prominently placed figure in the late Sengoku period. She was daughter of Oichi and Nagamasa Azai, and the sister of Yodo-dono and Oeyo. Alongside her sisters, she was active in the political intrigue ...
, married
Kyōgoku Takatsugu was a ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of Ōmi Province and Wakasa Province during the late Sengoku period of Japan's history. Papinot, Edmond. (2003)''Nobiliare du Japon'', pp. 27–28./ref> Biography His childhood name was Koboshi (小法師). Tak ...
, a man from a noble family once served by the Azai clan. The Kyogoku clan sided with Ieyasu after Hideyoshi's death, giving her the means to serve as an intermediary between Ieyasu and Yodo-dono. She worked in vain to end their hostilities, and after Yodo-dono and Hideyori's death, managed to save Hideyori's daughter by putting her in a convent. The youngest,
Oeyo , , or : 1573 – September 15, 1626) was a prominently-placed female figure in the Azuchi–Momoyama period and early Edo period. She was daughter of Oichi and the sister of Yodo-dono and Ohatsu. When she rose to higher political status during ...
(also called Ogō), married
Tokugawa Hidetada was the second ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate. Early life (1579–1593) Tokugawa Hidetada was bo ...
, Ieyasu's heir and the second Tokugawa Shōgun. They had many children, including the third Shōgun
Iemitsu Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光, August 12, 1604 – June 8, 1651) was the third ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada with Oeyo, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Lady Kasuga was his wet nurse, who a ...
, and Kazuko, consort to
Emperor Go-Mizunoo was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629, and was the first emperor to reign entirely during the Edo period. This 17th-century sovereign was n ...
. Kazuko's daughter Okiko became
Empress Meishō was the 109th monarch of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')明正天皇 (108)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 115. Her reign lasted from 1629 ...
, thus posthumously making Oichi both a grandmother to a Shōgun and a great-grandmother to an Empress.


Personal information

Cherished by her family and said to have been well loved by their retainers
Shibata Katsuie or was a Japanese samurai and military commander during the Sengoku period. He served Oda Nobunaga as one of his trusted generals, was severely wounded in the 1571 first siege of Nagashima, but then fought in the 1575 Battle of Nagashino an ...
and
Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又� ...
were said to be amongst her admirers. Likewise, it is believed that Nagamasa highly valued her as his precious wife. Based on what is known of her, people generally accept that she was faithful and loving to both her husbands. She is said to have never liked Toyotomi Hideyoshi, which is possibly one of the reasons why she declined to be sent away while with Katsuie. Ironically, it is assumed Hideyoshi cared for her since he tried to save her and her children's lives.


Family

*Father:
Oda Nobuhide was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and magistrate of the Sengoku period known as "Tiger of Owari" and also the father of Oda Nobunaga the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobuhide was a deputy ''shugo'' (Shugodai) of lower Owari Province and head of the ...
(1510–1551) *Mother:
Tsuchida Gozen , also known as Tsuchida Gozen, was a Japanese noblewoman and the mother of Oda Nobunaga, a major ''daimyō'' and politician of the Sengoku period regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Biography Dota Gozen's origins are unknown, incl ...
(died 1594) *Brothers **
Oda Nobuhiro was the eldest son of Oda Nobuhide. After Nobuhiro's father took Anjo Castle in Mikawa Province in 1540, the castle was given to Nobuhiro. During 1551, Nobuhiro was trapped by the Imagawa clan, but was saved when Oda Nobunaga handed over o ...
(died 1574) **
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
(1534–1582) **
Oda Nobuyuki , also known as , was the son of Oda Nobuhide and younger brother of Oda Nobunaga, who lived during the Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. ...
(1536–1557) **
Oda Nobukane was a Japanese samurai, the younger brother of the warlord, Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Following the year of 1568, Nobukane was destined to be adopted into the Nagano clan. Nobukane afterwards shaved his ...
(1548–1614) **
Oda Nagamasu was a Japanese daimyō and a brother of Oda Nobunaga who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also known as or , the Tokyo neighborhood Yūrakuchō is named for him. Nagamasu converted to Christianity in 1588 ...
(1548–1622) **
Oda Nobuharu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Oda clan. Nobuharu was the younger brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga granted him Nobu Castle and its surroundings as a private fief. While fighting the Asakura and Asai, Nobuharu was ...
(1549–1570) **
Oda Nobutoki or Hidetoshi was born the sixth son of Oda Nobuhide, a feudal warlord in Owari Province, Japan, during the Sengoku period. He was the half-brother of Oda Nobunaga and the full brother of Oda Nobuhiro, with all three having the same father.' He ...
(died 1556) ** Oda Nobuoki **
Oda Hidetaka was a Sengoku period warrior in 16th century Japan. He was the eighth son of warlord Oda Nobuhide and his wife, Tsuchida Gozen. His mother also gave birth to three of his older brothers: Oda Nobunaga, Oda Nobuyuki and Oda Nobukane. He was kille ...
(died 1555) ** Oda Hidenari ** Oda Nobuteru ** Oda Nagatoshi ** Oda Nobumitsu *Sister: **
Oinu Oinu (お犬, died September 24, 1582) was a Japanese historical figure and a member of the prominent Oda clan in the Sengoku period. She was the daughter of Oda Nobuhide and the younger sister of Oda Nogunaga, one of the leading figures of the Se ...
*Husbands: **
Azai Nagamasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period known as the brother-in-law and enemy of Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was head of the Azai clan seated at Odani Castle in northern Ōmi Province and married Nobunaga's sister Oichi in 1564, fathering h ...
(1564–1573) **
Shibata Katsuie or was a Japanese samurai and military commander during the Sengoku period. He served Oda Nobunaga as one of his trusted generals, was severely wounded in the 1571 first siege of Nagashima, but then fought in the 1575 Battle of Nagashino an ...
(1582–1583) *Children (By Nagamasa) **
Chacha Cha-Cha, Cha Cha, ChaCha or Chacha may refer to: Music * Cha-cha-cha (dance), a dance of Cuban origin * Cha-cha-cha (music), a genre of Cuban music * ''Cha Cha'' (album), a 1978 album by Herman Brood & His Wild Romance * ''Cha Cha'' (soundtrack), ...
(1569–1615) ** Hatsu (1570–1633) ** (1573–1626) **Manpukumaru (1563?–1573) *Adopted sons (of Katsuie) **
Shibata Katsutoyo Shibata may refer to: Places * Shibata, Miyagi, a town in Miyagi Prefecture * Shibata District, Miyagi, a district in Miyagi Prefecture * Shibata, Niigata, a city in Niigata Prefecture ** Shibata Station (Niigata), a railway station in Niigata Pref ...
** Shibata Katsumasa


In popular culture

She's a playable character in the ''
Samurai Warriors is the first title in the series of hack and slash video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based closely around the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of Japanese history and it is a sister series of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series, rele ...
'' series of games, armed with a
kendama The is a traditional Japanese skill toy. It consists of a handle (''ken''), a pair of cups (''sarado''), and a ball (''tama'') that are all connected together by a string. On one end of the ''ken'' is a cup, while the other end of ''ken'' is na ...
and later changed to Four Bladed Hoops chained to another, where her story is fleshed out. That same version is also in '' Pokémon Conquest'' (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with her partner
Pokémon (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures (company), Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of ...
being
Jigglypuff Jigglypuff ( ), known in Japan as , is a Pokémon species. Jigglypuff first appeared in the video games ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' and subsequent sequels, later appearing in various merchandise, spinoff titles and animated and printed adapta ...
and Wigglytuff. Oichi (under the alias Oyu of Odani) is a playable character in the game '' Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny''. There's even a version of her in the ''
Sengoku Basara is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including four anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, a magazine series, a trading card game, and numerous drama CDs, light nov ...
'' series of games, starting with the second one. She is depicted as a tragic, gloomy woman who wrongfully blames herself for everything to the point she is driven mad. Originally fighting with a Naginata, she later uses hands made from a dark aura. This version of Oichi is also present in ''
Teppen (stylized as ''TEPPƎN'') is a free-to-play digital collectible card game developed by GungHo Online Entertainment and Capcom. It released in North America and Europe on July 4, 2019 and in Asia on August 8 for Android, and iOS. The game was i ...
'' as a playable character. Oichi is also the character name of the initial gunner mercenary in the MMORPG Atlantica Online She is also a recurring character in the ''Warriors Orochi'' series. Oichi also appears in ''
Nioh 2 is an action role-playing video game developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 4. It was published by Koei Tecmo in Japan and Sony Interactive Entertainment worldwide on March 13, 2020. It is both a prequel and sequel to ''Nioh'' (2017). Versio ...
''. In the light novel series, Honnouji kara Hajimeru Nobunaga to no Tenka Touitsu, the protagonist Makoto Kurosaka after being time slipped to the Sengoku period and saving Nobunaga's life during the Honnouji Incident, Makoto have changed history including the fate of Oichi and her daughters, due to her brother Nobunaga surviving the Honnouji Incident with Makoto's unintentional intervention with Akechi's assassination scheme, an alternate history has been created, where Oichi did not remarry Shibata Katsuie, thus avoided her original tragic fate of dying in the Battle of Shizugatake with Katsuie. Reflecting her historical fame as a great beauty, Oichi is depicted in the light novel series as a very beautiful Yamato nadeshiko lady. Like her daughters, Oichi became fond of Makoto Kurosaka including comforting him after he felt emotionally lost from killing an enemy samurai to protect her daughters, and later aided her brother Nobunaga in matchmaking Makoto with her eldest daughter Azai Chacha. Eventually, Makoto married Chacha, thus becoming Oichi's son-in-law.


Notes


References

* Wilson, Richard L. (1985)
''Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743).''
Lawrence, Kansas: University of Kansas (PhD. dissertation manuscript)
OCLC 19111312
* Yoshikawa, Eiji. (2000)
''Taiko: an epic novel of war and glory in feudal Japan''
(William Scott Wilson, translator). Tokyo, London:
Kodansha International is a Japanese privately-held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha is the largest Japanese publishing company, and it produces the manga magazines ''Nakayoshi'', ''Afternoon'', ''Evening'', ''Weekly Shōnen Magazine'' an ...
.
OCLC 248372298


External links



{{People of the Sengoku period, state=autocollapse 1547 births 1583 deaths 16th-century Japanese people 16th-century Japanese women Oda clan Azai clan People of Sengoku-period Japan