great man

Yotokuin (Aihime)

What kind of person is Aihime? Tracing the path of Date Masamune's wise wife [Fukushima Prefecture]

In this article, we will delve into history by looking at the wife of Date Masamune Miharu Town, Tamura County, Fukushima Prefecture . Miharu Town flourished as a castle town around Miharu Castle, and even today, historical sites and monuments remain that evoke the atmosphere of those days.

What kind of person was Princess Aiko, and what kind of spots are there in Miharu Town? We will explain while unraveling the history

What kind of person is "Aihime"?

What kind of person was Princess Aki, who became the wife of Date Masamune, a famous general of the Sengoku period? First, we will explain Princess Aki's origins, the background to her marriage to the Date family, and her achievements

The background of Princess Aiko's marriage to the Date family

Princess Ai was born in Miharu Town, Tamura County, Fukushima Prefecture. At the time, this area was ruled by Tamura Kiyoaki, .

As the only daughter born to Lord Kiyoaki and his wife, Okita, Princess Aiko was raised with all the love and affection she could muster. Incidentally, "Mego" means "cute" in the Fukushima dialect. The fact that she was named Princess Aiko gives us an idea of ​​how doting her parents were on her

Stone monument marking the birthplace of Princess Ai at the ruins of Miharu Castle

Princess Aiko grew up healthily and at the age of 12, she married Date Masamune, the eldest son of the lord of Yonezawa Castle . The reason this marriage was arranged was because of the difficult situation the Tamura family was in.

At the time, the Ashina clan, whose power was growing in the Aizu region, devised a plan to isolate the Tamura clan in order to curb their power. To do this, they formed an alliance with other powerful clans in southern Fukushima Prefecture, creating a siege network to keep the Tamura clan in check

The Tamura clan found itself in a situation where it was possible for the enemy to invade at any time and defeat would not be surprising. For Lord Kiyoaki, who had no son to take over, defeat would immediately affect the fate of the Tamura clan. The clan found itself in a precarious situation, with no idea how long it would be possible to protect its family

Stone monument marking the birthplace of Princess Ai at the ruins of Miharu Castle

So Kiyoaki set his sights on the Date clan, which held power in the north

He pleaded to marry his daughter to the Date clan in order to form an alliance with them. Even before he inherited the family headship, rumors were circulating that Masamune was a man of outstanding talent and noteworthy character

It seems that many within the Date clan opposed the marriage to the Tamura clan, who had many enemies. However, Lord Kiyoaki was a renowned warrior who had never lost a battle. In the end, they concluded that there was merit in being connected to the Tamura clan, who had superior military power, and so the Date clan accepted Princess Aiko's marriage

An agreement was then made between the Tamura and Date families that of the children born to Princess Aki, the eldest son would be the heir to the Date family, and the second son would be adopted into the Tamura family

Thus, the marriage of Princess Aiko was decided, and the survival of the Tamura family depended on it. At 12 years old by the traditional Japanese age reckoning system, she was about 11 years old in full age. The pressure the young girl must have felt was immense

After marriage, Princess Aiko became a wise wife who left her name in history

The reason why Princess Aiko has left her name in history is not only because she was the legal wife of Date Masamune

Masamune inherited the family headship at the age of 18 and became the lord of Yonezawa Castle, while Princess Aki, aged 17, began to manage the domestic affairs of the Date clan. Masamune expanded his hegemony through war, eventually building up a major power that controlled the entire Aizu region and Nakadori area of ​​Fukushima Prefecture

Portrait of Date Masamune (owned by Tofukuji Reigenin Temple, painted by Tosa Mitsusada, circa mid-Edo period)
Portrait of Date Masamune (owned by Tofukuji Reigenin Temple, painted by Tosa Mitsusada, circa mid-Edo period) Source: Wikipedia

At that time, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was on the verge of unifying the country, ordered the Date clan to give up their Aizu domain, and the Tamura clan, which refused to participate in the war, was abolished. Hideyoshi then ordered the wives and children of the feudal lords who had served him to live in Kyoto, where he was staying. In a sense, he took the feudal lords hostage to prevent them from betraying him. Princess Aiko also lived in the Date residence at Jurakudai in Kyoto, where she remained for a long time

However, Princess Aki did not simply stay in Kyoto; she continued to provide Masamune with detailed information about the situation there. She even sent him letters saying, "Please do not worry about me, but make your decision in accordance with the greater good. I always carry my sword with me in case of emergency." This shows Princess Aki's intelligence and inner strength

At the age of 27, Princess Aiko gave birth to her eldest daughter, Princess Goroha (Irohahime). Then, at the age of 32, she was blessed with a son, Date Tadamune, and gave birth to two more boys after that. Unfortunately, the two youngest boys died early. After that, Princess Aiko moved to a mansion in Edo. The couple lived in separate buildings, and it is said that their visits were conducted in a strict atmosphere

Masamune passed away at the age of 70. For about three weeks after his health began to deteriorate, Princess Aki requested to visit him, but Masamune refused, not wanting to show her how sick and weak he was. Along with the agarwood and scrolls, he left behind a will expressing his concern for the future of the Date clan, and a message saying, "I will meet you in a few days to express my gratitude, so please wait a little longer." Masamune's body left Edo for Sendai that night, so Princess Aki apparently did not have a chance to properly say goodbye

Yotokuin Temple (owned by Zuiganji Temple)
Yotokuin (owned by Zuiganji Temple) Source: Wikipedia

Princess Aiko then entered the Buddhist priesthood to pray for Masamune's soul and changed her name to Yotokuin

Princess Aiko, who achieved the restoration of the Tamura family

The Tamura family, which had married Princess Aiko to the Date family in order to keep the family alive, was abolished during the Toyotomi era

The former retainers were originally supposed to be taken in by the Date family, but many of them believed that "the Tamura family died out because Masamune had deceived them," and few turned to the Date family for help

The retainers who were no longer of use to the Date clan were scattered, working for other feudal lords or becoming farmers. However, after Masamune died and Yotokuin (Aiko) became the most powerful figure in the Date clan, all of the former retainers of the Tamura clan flocked to serve the Date clan

Tamura family grave
The Tamura family grave in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture

Yotokuin passed away at the ripe old age of 86. Around this time, many former retainers of the Tamura clan gathered at the Date clan to mourn Yotokuin's death

The person who restored the Tamura family was Muneyoshi, the grandson of Princess Aki. He was the third son of Princess Aki's eldest son, Tadamune. After Muneyoshi's death, his son Munenaga became the lord of Ichinoseki Domain, and the family continued to rule for 11 generations until the end of the Edo period

The legacy of Princess Ai remains in Miharu Town

Miharu Town is famous for its Takizakura cherry blossoms, but traces of Princess Aki's journey remain within the town. We will introduce the shadows of history related to Princess Aki that remain today

Miharu Castle Ruins

This is the ruins of Miharu Castle, where Princess Aiko is said to have been born and raised. Located on Mount Oshida in the center of town, Miharu Castle was also known as Maizuru Castle due to its beautiful appearance. It is said to have been built by Tamura Yoshiaki in 1504. During Princess Aiko's time, many moats, earthworks, and stonework were added, turning it into a fortress during the Warring States period. It served as the residence of the lord of Miharu Domain until it was demolished after the Meiji Restoration

The road to the castle ruins is surrounded by trees, giving you a sense of mysterious power

Stone walls and other structures remain on site, evoking the castle's appearance at the time. The view overlooking the townscape of Miharu is sure to have been enjoyed by successive castle lords. It would be a good idea to take a stroll around the castle and feel the romance of history

Within the grounds, a monument marking the birthplace of Princess Aiko stands quietly

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Aihimekoji

Aihimekoji

Princess Aki left Miharu Town with only a small retinue to marry Date Masamune. It appears that Princess Aki's wedding journey took her north along what is now National Route 349, passing through Tamukai in Nihonmatsu City, Kawamata Town in Date County, and Yanagawa in Date City. At Shibuike Pond in Miharu Town, there is a stone monument marking the path Princess Aki is thought to have taken when she married into the Date family

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Special website set up to commemorate the 450th anniversary of Princess Aiko's birth

In 2018, Miharu Town created a special website to commemorate the 450th anniversary of Princess Ai's birth. The website features many stories related to Princess Ai. It also features a promotional character designed by a famous anime creator, and the animation " Princess Ai MEGOHIME, " produced by Fukushima Gaina, a company based in Miharu Town.

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Princess Aki, who married from Miharu Town and shouldered the fate of the country

This time we introduced a woman named Princess Aki. Princess Aki, who was born in Miharu Town, Tamura County, Fukushima Prefecture, held the fate of the Tamura clan in her hands as the legal wife of Date Masamune. Leaving her hometown of Miharu Town at the age of 12 (by the Japanese age reckoning system), she endured immeasurable responsibilities and dedicated her life to the prosperity of the Date and Tamura clans. If you visit Miharu Town, be sure to look for traces of the history of the era in which she lived

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