Matsuhime (松姫, 1562 - 31 May 1616) or Shinsho-ni (信松尼) was a Japanese noblewoman who was a member of the

Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanashi Prefecture. The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule of Taked ...

, an important samurai family of the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

. She was the daughter of

Takeda Shingen was daimyō, daimyo of Kai Province during the Sengoku period of Japan. Known as "the Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyo of the late Sengoku period, and credited with exceptional military prestige. Shingen was based in a p ...

and wife of

Oda Nobutada was a samurai and the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period of Japan. He commanded armies under his father in battles against Matsunaga Hisahide and against the Takeda clan. Biography Oda Nobutada w ...

. She is best known for trying to strengthen an ailing alliance between Takeda and Oda, two rival families. Matsu is also known for her rightful love and undying devotion to Oda Nobutada, which is considered unusual for the time period. A mountain pass is named ''Matsuhime Tōge'' in her honor due to her having used the path to escape

Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...

's army. The Shinsho-in temple in Hachioji (Tokyo) preserves to this day a wooden statue of Matsuhime and the

naginata The ''naginata'' (, , ) is a polearm and one of several varieties of traditionally made Japanese blades ('' nihontō''). ''Naginata'' were originally used by the samurai class of feudal Japan, as well as by ashigaru (foot soldiers) and sōhei ( ...

(polearm) she wielded.

Early life

Matsuhime was born in Kai province as Shingen's fifth daughter. Her mother was Shingen's concubine Aburakawa-fuujin. She was a younger sister of

Nishina Morinobu was a retainer of the Japanese samurai clan of Takeda during the closing years of the Sengoku period. Born the fifth son of the legendary Takeda Shingen (by Lady Yukawa), he was also known as Takeda Harukiyo (武田晴清). In 1561 Morinobu was ...

. According to ''Kai Kokushi'', Shingen devoted himself to prayer for the healthy recovery of one of his ill daughters in 1565; the common consensus is that the girl in question is Matsuhime. According to the tales, Matsuhime's mother Aburakawafujin was famous as the most beautiful woman in Koshu, and Matsuhime herself was also famous for her beauty along with her sister, Kikuhime who was the wife of

Uesugi Kagekatsu was a Japanese samurai ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku and Edo periods. He was the adopted son of Uesugi Kenshin and Uesugi Kagetora’s brother in law. Early life and rise Kagekatsu was the son of Nagao Masakage, the head of the Ueda Naga ...

. According to the theory that Matsuhime's other older sister Shinryuin's mother was also Aburakawafujin, Matsuhime's sisters were Marihime and Kikuhime.

Engagement with Nobunaga's heir

The ''Kōyō Gunkan'' states that the Oda-Takeda alliance was threatened in 1567 when

Takeda Katsuyori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (military lord) of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu, ''daimyō'' of Hojo clan. Early life H ...

's wife ( Ryūshō-in) and

's niece and adopted daughter, died. In an effort to keep the alliance intact, an engagement was arranged for the eleven-year old

, an heir of the famous

, to wed the seven-year old Matsuhime. However, as they were both still very young, Nobunaga decides to wait for the two to grow up and have a wedding ceremony. Oda Nobunaga says that he instructed his son, Nobutada, to give Matsuhime gifts and letters diligently. For this reason, correspondence began between Nobutada and Matsuhime, and although it was a form of political marriage, she and Nobutada had not actually seen each other in person, but spent time exchanging mail, and eventually had a spiritual connection. She stayed with the Takeda family and was formally treated as 'the entrusted lawful wife of Nobutada,' and was called Niitachi-Goryōnin.

Fall of the alliance

In 1572, when Takeda Shingen started to conquer westward, the

Battle of Mikatagahara The took place during the Sengoku period of Japan between Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu in Hamamatsu, Mikatagahara, Tōtōmi Province on 25 January 1573. Shingen attacked Ieyasu at the plain of Mikatagahara north of Hamamatsu during hi ...

broke out against Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Takeda clan emerged victorious from the battle, Ieyasu's troops were almost completely annihilated. Among Ieyasu's soldiers were 3,000 soldiers from the Oda clan. Because Nobunaga sent reinforcement to Tokugawa, the relation between the Takeda and Oda families broke, they cut off all ties to the Takeda. At that time, Matsuhime was 12 years old and it was almost time to get married. The engagement between Matsuhime and Nobutada Oda has been called off. It was said that the feeling between the two was legitimate.

Shingen's death

The daimyo of Kai Province died in 1573, a year after breaking allegiance to Oda Nobunaga's powerful Oda clan. When Takeda Shingen was 49 years old, he was the only daimyō with the power and tactical skill to stop Oda Nobunaga's race to rule Japan. With the death of Shingen,

, Matsuhime's half-brother became the clan's leader. After the cancellation of her engagement to Oda Nobutada and the death of Shingen, Matsuhime moved to Takato Castle under the patronage of her brother

. She lived with her brother for several years, and in 1580 her brother finally became the governor of Takato Castle.

The fall of the Takeda clan

In 1575, Takeda Katsuyori suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Nagashino, causing the Takeda clan's power to wane even further. Matsuhime was under his biological brother's protection in Takato until 1582, when Oda Nobunaga turned his attention to Matsuhime's home.

Siege of Takatō Castle (1582)

In April 3, 1582, the Oda army, led by Oda Nobutada who departed for the front from

Gifu Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city. The castle is also known as . It was designated a National Historic Site in 2011. ...

, besieged Takato Castle. Nobutada recommended surrender, but

refused it. In the meantime, Oda Nobutada with his bodyguards tore down the palisade at the postern and breached inside the castle. A fierce battle ensued in the bailey and the castle's buildings, and the defenders fought to the last, including women and children. Mhtg

After a fierce battle, Morinobu finally committed suicide. Before he conducted

seppuku , also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...

prior to the fall of the castle, he told Oda soldiers of his prediction of Nobunaga's death, which soon came to pass. To avoid subjugation of Takeda by the Oda army led by her former fiance, the supreme commander Oda Nobutada, Matsuhime escaped the massacre with Morinobu's daughter and three other princesses. Matsuhime escaped Nobunaga's overwhelming army on a mountain pass. This path was named Matsuhime Toge in her honor for her heroic act of leading an escape to protect the Takeda bloodline. They fled to many cities before settling at Kinshō-an, a temple in modern day Kamiongatamachi, where many old retainers of the Takeda clan lived.

Takeda and Oda downfall (1582)

Days after the fall of Takato Castle, Nobutada continued his campaign against Matsuhime's family, chasing after Takeda Katsuyori who set

Shinpu Castle was a Sengoku period ''hirayama''-style Japanese castle located in what is now part of the city of Nirasaki, Yamanashi prefecture. It was the primary fortress of the warlord Takeda Katsuyori. The ruins have been protected as a National Historic ...

on fire. During the Battle of Tenmoku-zan on April 13, Katsuyori, his wife Hojo Masako and their son Takeda Nobukatsu and others, cornered by

Takigawa Kazumasu or Takikawa Sakon was a Japanese samurai lord and daimyo of the Sengoku period. He was a retainer and military commander of Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the older b ...

(Nobutada's Deputy Vice General), committed suicide on Tenmoku-zan Mountain, causing total downfall of the Takeda clan. After subjugation of Takeda, an envoy of Nobutada visited Matsuhime who escaped to Hachioji to bring her back. On July 1, when Matsuhime was on a trip to see Nobutada, the Honnoji Incident broke out. Due to the Oda clan being the most powerful clan at the time, there was growing discontent with Oda Nobunaga's cruel attitudes, so

Akechi Mitsuhide , first called Jūbei from his clan and later from his title, was a Japanese ''samurai'' general of the Sengoku period. Mitsuhide was originally a bodyguard of the last Ashikaga shogunate, Ashikaga ''shōgun'' Ashikaga Yoshiaki and later, one of ...

, one of Nobunaga's most trusted generals, decided to betray him and attack him while he was off guard. Chaos broke out in Kyoto on the night of July 21, 1582. Nobutada attacked Mitsuhide at Nijo Palace and defeated Akechi's army three times. However, he was hopelessly outnumbered and committed suicide. Oda Nobunaga and several members of his family also committed suicide in the flames of the Nijo Palace.

Oda Hidenobu , the son of Oda Nobutada, was a samurai who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the late-16th century. He was a convert to Catholicism. His childhood name was Sanbōshi (三法師). Succession dispute When Oda Nobutada and Oda Nobuna ...

, Nobutada's son survived the incident, according to some historical materials, the real mother of Hidenobu was actually Matsuhime, but even the possibility that Princess Matsu and Nobutada knew each other while they were alive is low, and is considered to be some error. Matsuhime came back alive from her trip to Kyoto. In autumn of 1582, Matsuhime moved and renounced the world by praying at Shingen-in Temple when she was 22, and became a nun. She called herself Shinsho-ni and they say that she prayed for the soul of Nobutada as well as the Takeda family.

Later life

In 1590, she moved to a hut in Goshomizu, Hachioji. While living as a nun, it is said that she taught reading and writing to local children in a temple elementary school, did sericulture, and weaved cloth to earn money to raise her three princesses.

Okubo Nagayasu , also Okubo, Ookubo and Ohkubo, is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Ōkubo clan **Ōkubo Tadayo (1532–1594), Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period **Ōkubo Tadasuke (1537–1613), Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku an ...

, who used to be a vassals of Takeda family and then daikangashira (the head of feudal government) of the Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), is said to have helped Matsuhime including building a thatched hut for her. In addition, it is said that she served as spiritual support of Hachioji Sennin Doshin (junior officials in Hachioji) composed of many of the old retainers of the Takeda clan. It is said former Takeda retainers paid homage to her during the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

and that she was the caring heart of the community. Countless people were touched by her kindness and humility. Matsuhime survived throughout the later Warring States period, dying at age 59 in 1616, a year after the

Siege of Osaka A siege () . is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or by well-prepared assault. Siege warfare (also called siegecrafts or poliorcetics) is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict charact ...

, a battle that would end the war period for the next 200 years. She was buried in Shinshō-in, a temple built in her honor.

Relationship with Oda Nobutada

Though she and Nobutada never wed, the fact that she took no other marriage prospects during her lifetime and started a pious life at a shockingly young age leads many to assume that her love for him remained strong for the rest of her life. Many tales insist that the sheer pain of losing her true love enabled her to sincerely empathize with others. There are legends which persist that Nobutada and Matsuhime kept a secret affair with one another in spite of their political differences, but there is so far no proof that these tales could be reality. Takeshi Nishiyama, a distant descendant of Nobunaga, claimed that the couple eloped and gave birth to Oda Nobuhide. Whether this claim is true or not has so far not been verified.

References

1562 births 1616 deaths 16th-century Japanese women 17th-century Japanese women Samurai 16th-century Japanese people People of the Muromachi period People of the Azuchi–Momoyama period People of the Edo period 17th-century Japanese people {{Authority control Deified Japanese women Takeda clan Japanese Buddhist clergy Women of the Sengoku period