Asahi no kata
Encyclopedia
Asahi no kata (1543 – February 18, 1590) was a half-sister of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
and wife of Tokugawa Ieyasu
, two of Japan's greatest feudal warlords. She is also called Suruga Gozen (駿河御膳) and Asahi-hime (朝日姫), though none of these are names, referring to her as "the person of Asahi
," "the Lady Suruga
," or "Princess Asahi."
Asahi no kata was first married to Saji Hyūga no kami, but when her brother Toyotomi Hideyoshi wished to make peace with Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
, Hideyoshi expressed interest in marrying her to Ieyasu. As a result, Saji Hyūga committed suicide, in order to not pose an obstacle to such a powerful political marriage, and the two were married soon afterwards.
Tokugawa and his new wife visited her mother when she fell ill in 1589; the mother of Asahi no kata and Hideyoshi died the following year, as did Asahi no kata herself.
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...
and wife of Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, two of Japan's greatest feudal warlords. She is also called Suruga Gozen (駿河御膳) and Asahi-hime (朝日姫), though none of these are names, referring to her as "the person of Asahi
Asahi
Asahi means "morning sun" in Japanese. It may refer to one of the following:-Towns:* Asahi, Aichi * Asahi, Fukui * Asahi, Hokkaido * Asahi, Mie...
," "the Lady Suruga
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka prefecture. It was sometimes called . Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and had access to the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay.-History:...
," or "Princess Asahi."
Asahi no kata was first married to Saji Hyūga no kami, but when her brother Toyotomi Hideyoshi wished to make peace with Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had both served Oda Nobunaga and had not previously come into conflict; this would in fact be their only period of enmity...
, Hideyoshi expressed interest in marrying her to Ieyasu. As a result, Saji Hyūga committed suicide, in order to not pose an obstacle to such a powerful political marriage, and the two were married soon afterwards.
Tokugawa and his new wife visited her mother when she fell ill in 1589; the mother of Asahi no kata and Hideyoshi died the following year, as did Asahi no kata herself.