Niijima Yae (新島八重,
née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Yamamoto (山本); 1 December 1845 – 14 June 1932), also known as , was a Japanese educator, nurse, and scholar during the
Bakumatsu
were the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate Meiji Restoration, ended. Between 1853 and 1867, under foreign diplomatic and military pressure, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a Feudali ...
and
Meiji era
The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...
.
Her
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
family belonged to the
Hoshina clan
The is a Japanese clan which claims descent from Emperor Seiwa, and is a branch of the Minamoto clan. They were famous for their role as retainers of the Takeda clan in the 16th century. In the Edo period, the clan produced two ''daimyō'' famili ...
, loyal to 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 ...
.
Skilled in gunnery, she helped defend the
Aizu Domain
was a Han (Japan), domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1601 to 1871.Ravina, Mark. (1998) ''Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan,'' p. 222
The Aizu Domain was based at Aizuwakamatsu Castle, Tsuruga Castle in M ...
during the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking to seize political power in the name of the Impe ...
, earning her the nicknames “
Nightingale
The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird which is best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, ...
of Japan” and “Bakumatsu
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
”.
Yaeko served as a nurse during the
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
and
Sino-Japanese War,
and became the first woman outside of
Imperial House of Japan
The is the reigning dynasty of Japan, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present constitution of Japan, the emperor is "the symbol of the State ...
after 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 Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...
(originated in 1870s) to be
decorated for her service to the country.
She was famously known as the wife of
Joseph Hardy Neesima
(born ; 12 February 1843 – 23 January 1890), better known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima, was a Japanese Protestant missionary and educator of the Meiji era who founded Doshisha English School (later Doshisha University).
He w ...
, the founder of
Doshisha English School in 1875, and with a help of American missionary Alice J. Starkweather, they co-founded the
Doshisha Girls’ School a year later.
Early life
Yamamoto Yae was born the daughter of
Yamamoto Gonpachi, a
samurai
The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
and one of the official gunnery instructors in
Aizu Domain
was a Han (Japan), domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1601 to 1871.Ravina, Mark. (1998) ''Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan,'' p. 222
The Aizu Domain was based at Aizuwakamatsu Castle, Tsuruga Castle in M ...
, and his wife Saku. Her family claimed descent from 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 ...
's retainer
Yamamoto Kansuke. In 1865, she was married to
Shonosuke Kawasaki, a
Rangaku
''Rangaku'' (Kyūjitai: , ), and by extension , is a body of knowledge developed by Japan through its contacts with the Dutch enclave of Dejima, which allowed Japan to keep abreast of Western technology and medicine in the period when the countr ...
scholar from
Izushi Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Tajima Province in what is now the northern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered initially around Izushi Castle in what is now the Izushi n ...
.
Boshin War

Yae was skilled in gunnery, which was highly unusual for a woman of the
Bakumatsu
were the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate Meiji Restoration, ended. Between 1853 and 1867, under foreign diplomatic and military pressure, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a Feudali ...
period. She took part in the defense of Aizu when the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking to seize political power in the name of the Impe ...
broke out in 1868. During the
Battle of Aizu
The Battle of Aizu () was fought in northern Japan from October to November in autumn 1868, and was part of the Boshin War.
History
Aizu was known for its martial skill, and maintained at any given time a standing army of over 5000. It was oft ...
, she fought against the
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji ...
and its coalition forces, defending
Aizuwakamatsu Castle
, also known as Aizuwakamatsu Castle (会津若松城 ''Aizu-Wakamatsu-jō'') is a Japanese castle in northern Japan, at the center of the city of Aizuwakamatsu, in Fukushima Prefecture.
Background
Tsuruga Castle is located in the center of the ...
with her
Spencer carbine
The Spencer repeating rifle was a 19th-century American lever-action firearm invented by Christopher Miner Spencer, Christopher Spencer. The Spencer carbine was a shorter and lighter version designed for the cavalry.
The Spencer was the world's ...
along with Aizu warriors.
After the surrender of Aizu Domain, Yaeko took shelter in nearby
Yonezawa Domain
was a feudal domain in Edo period Japan, located in Dewa Province (modern-day Yamagata Prefecture), Japan. It was centered at Yonezawa castle in what is now the city of Yonezawa, and its territory extended over the Okitama District of Dewa Pr ...
in
Yonezawa, Yamagata
file:Yonezawa City hall 0295.JPG, Yonezawa City Hall
is a Cities of Japan, city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,707 in 33,278 households, and a population density of 150 persons per km2. The total ar ...
and stayed there for one year. Yae and her husband had separated after the defeat of Aizu, as Shonosuke became a prisoner of war. Their divorce was finalised in 1871.
In Kyoto
In 1871, she traveled to Kyoto to look for her brother
Yamamoto Kakuma, who had spent years as a prisoner of war in
Satsuma
Satsuma may refer to:
* Satsuma (fruit), a citrus fruit
* ''Satsuma'' (gastropod), a genus of land snails
Places Japan
* Satsuma, Kagoshima, a Japanese town
* Satsuma District, Kagoshima, a district in Kagoshima Prefecture
* Satsuma Domain, a ...
custody. Upon her arrival in Kyoto, Yaeko was hired as a substitute instructor at
Kyoto Women's School (
ja) on the recommendation of her brother Kakuma, who was working as an advisor for the Kyoto prefectural government at that time.
While Yaeko was working at the women's school, she was acquainted with a
sadō
The Japanese tea ceremony (known as or lit. 'Hot water for tea') is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of , powdered green tea, the procedure of which is called .
The term "Japanese tea ceremony ...
instructor from the house of
Urasenke
is one of the main schools of Japanese tea ceremony. Along with and , it is one of the three lines of the family descending from , which together are known as the - or the "three houses/families" ().
The name , literally meaning "rear hous ...
. Through their interaction, Yaeko was able to familiarise herself with the art of Japanese tea ceremony. She obtained the tea-master qualification in 1894 and became a tea master of the Urasenke tradition, with the
art-name
An art name (pseudonym or pen name), also known by its native names ''hào'' (in Mandarin Chinese), ''gō'' (in Japanese), ' (in Korean), and ''tên hiệu'' (in Vietnamese), is a professional name used by artists, poets and writers in the Sinosp ...
of . During her tenure at the school, she was also acquainted with a
kadō
is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is also known as . The origin of ikebana can be traced back to the ancient Japanese custom of erecting evergreen trees and decorating them with flowers as yorishiro () to invite the gods.
Late ...
instructor from the house of
Ikenobō
is the oldest and largest school of ''ikebana'', the Japanese practice of giving plants and flowers invigorated new life.
The Buddhist practice of Ikenobo has existed since the building of the Rokkaku-do temple. The actual organized school ins ...
. She was granted the certificate to practice
flower arrangement
Floral design or flower arrangement is the art of using plant material and flowers to create an eye-catching and balanced composition or display. Evidence of refined floral design is found as far back as the culture of ancient Egypt. Floral desi ...
from Ikenobō in 1896.
Throughout the early 1870s, Yaeko remained in Kyoto, and became a Christian after she met Rev.
Joseph Hardy Neesima
(born ; 12 February 1843 – 23 January 1890), better known by his English name Joseph Hardy Neesima, was a Japanese Protestant missionary and educator of the Meiji era who founded Doshisha English School (later Doshisha University).
He w ...
, who used to visit her brother Kakuma back when they were in Aizu. Neesima was a former samurai who spent 10 years in the United States from 1864–74 to pursue
higher education
Tertiary education (higher education, or post-secondary education) is the educational level following the completion of secondary education.
The World Bank defines tertiary education as including universities, colleges, and vocational schools ...
. He returned to Japan in 1874, and was in the process of building a Western school that promoted
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
. However, the concept was vehemently opposed by
Buddhists
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth ...
and
Shintoists
, also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes ...
in Kyoto, who submitted several complaints to the prefectural government.
Yaeko and Neesima were engaged not long after he returned to Japan, in October 1875. Shortly afterward, Yaeko was dismissed from her position in the women's school following pressure from the government. Together with Neesima and Kakuma, Yaeko volunteered to assist in running the new school Neesima founded. She played an integral role in the founding of this
Doshisha English School and its subsequent development.

Yaeko and Neesima were married on 3 January 1876. As Neesima was educated in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, he was also a believer in
women's rights
Women's rights are the rights and Entitlement (fair division), entitlements claimed for women and girls worldwide. They formed the basis for the women's rights movement in the 19th century and the feminist movements during the 20th and 21st c ...
. Yaeko, with the help of the American missionary Alice J. Starkweather, opened a Joshijuku (small girls' school) at the former residence of the Yanagihara family. The girls' school was subsequently renamed to
Doshisha Branch School for Girls and then to Doshisha Girls' School in 1877.
While it contradicted social norms of Edo period Japan, it happened to be balancing for a spirited woman like Yaeko. The courtesy given by Neesima toward Yaeko was viewed as a sign of shrewishness on the part of Yaeko, and she was consequently criticised as a "bad wife" by Japanese society throughout their marriage.
Contrary to traditional Japanese couples, Neesima and Yaeko were friendly to each other. He praised her lifestyle as "handsome" in his letter to friends in United States.
Later career
Following the sudden death of Neesima on 23 January 1890, Yaeko and her colleagues at Doshisha School gradually began to drift apart. Doshisha students from Satsuma and
Chōshū Domain
The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.Deal, William E. (2005) ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81
The Chōshū Domain was based ...
were not warmly received by her, since they attacked Aizu during the Boshin War.
In her later career, Yaeko turned her focus to nursing and became a member of
Japanese Red Cross
The is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross.
The Imperial Family of Japan has traditionally supported the society, with the Empress as Honorary President and other imperial family members as vice presidents. Its headquarters ...
on 26 April 1890. During the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...
, she joined the army and spent four months as a nurse stationed in
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...
.
Yaeko led a team of 40 nurses to care for the wounded soldiers while working to improve the social status of trained nurses. Her efforts were recognised by the Japanese government, and she was awarded her first
Order of the Precious Crown
The is a Japanese order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. Since the Order of the Rising Sun at that time was an Order for men, it was established as an Order for women. Originally the order had five classes, but on Apr ...
in 1896.

After the First Sino-Japanese War, Yaeko worked as an instructor in nursing schools. When the
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
broke out in 1904, she joined the army again and served as a volunteer nurse at
Imperial Japanese Army
The Imperial Japanese Army (IJA; , ''Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun'', "Army of the Greater Japanese Empire") was the principal ground force of the Empire of Japan from 1871 to 1945. It played a central role in Japan’s rapid modernization during th ...
hospital in
Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
for two months. For this service she received her second Order of the Precious Crown.
She was further awarded a silver cup at the
inauguration
In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inau ...
of the
Shōwa Emperor in 1928 for her overall commitment to the country.
Death
While Yaeko did not bear any children from her two marriages, she did adopt three children from Yonezawa Domain throughout her life. However, they were not closely connected. In her final years, she maintained her residence on
Teramachi Street
is a historical street in Kyoto, Japan, running north–south from Kuramaguchi Street to Gojō Street, for about 4.6 km.
History
Present day Teramachi Street corresponds to the Higashi Kyōgoku Ōji of the Heian-kyō. At the time the Stre ...
in Kyoto until she died on 14 June 1932 at the age of 86. She was given a funeral sponsored by Doshisha University. Her burial site is located at Doshisha Cemetery in
Sakyō-ku, Kyoto
is one of the eleven Wards of Kyoto, wards in the Municipalities of Japan, city of Kyoto, Kyoto, Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It is located in the northeastern part of the city.
History
The meaning of ''sakyō'' (左京) is "on the Em ...
.
Honours
* Order of the Precious Crown, Seventh Class
* Order of the Precious Crown, Sixth Class
In popular culture
Niijima Yae is a popular historical figure in Japan, and has appeared in various stories, comics (
manga
are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...
), and TV shows.
;Stories:
*
Fukumoto Takehisa (
ja), ''Niijima Yae series''
:*''Aizu Onna Senki'' (1978)
:*''Niijima Jō to Sono Tsuma'' (1978)
:*''Handsome Woman, Saigo no Inori'' (2012)
*
Mitsugu Saotome
was the pen-name of Kanegae Hideyoshi, a Japanese writer of historical fiction in Shōwa and Heisei period Japan. He won the Yoshikawa Eiji Prize for Literature and the Naoki Prize.
Biography
Saotome's grandfather was a samurai of Aizu Domai ...
, ''Meiji no Keimai'' (1990)
;Manga
* ''Yae no Sakura,'' (2013) , published by
Shueisha
is a Japanese publishing company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Shueisha is the largest publishing company in Japan. It was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The ...
. The story was written by Yamamoto Mutsumi, and the artwork was drawn by Takemura Youhei.
;TV:
* The 2007 drama ''
Byakkotai
The was a group of around 305 young teenage samurai of the Aizu Domain, who fought in the Boshin War (1868–1869) on the side of the Tokugawa shogunate.
History
The Byakkotai was part of Aizu's four-unit military, formed in April 1868 in the d ...
'' (
ja) by
TV Asahi
JOEX-DTV (channel 5), branded as , and better known as , is a Japanese television station serving the Kanto region as the flagship station of the All-Nippon News Network. It is owned-and-operated by the a subsidiary of , itself controlled by ...
, where she was portrayed by
Nakagoshi Noriko.
* ''
Yae no Sakura
is a 2013 Japanese historical drama television series and the 52nd NHK taiga drama. Written by Mutsumi Yamamoto, the drama focuses on Niijima Yae, who is portrayed by Haruka Ayase. Yae is a strong believer in women's rights and the story follow ...
,'' the 2013
NHK
, also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee.
NHK ope ...
taiga drama
is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...
, where she is the main protagonist and portrayed by
Haruka Ayase
better known by the stage name , is a Japanese actress who started her career as a model in the year 2000. She has since become a leading actress in television and film.
Career
2000–2004: Early career
Ayase was invited by a friend to parti ...
.
;Games:
*
Tecmo Koei
is a Japanese video game, amusement and anime holding company created in 2009 by the merger of Koei and Tecmo. Koei Tecmo Holdings owns several companies, the biggest one of those being its flagship video game developer and publisher Koei Tecmo ...
, ''
Toukiden'' (2013)
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yamamoto, Yaeko
1845 births
1932 deaths
19th-century Japanese women writers
Boshin War
Female wartime nurses
Japanese nurses
Japanese Protestants
Japanese tea masters
Japanese women in warfare
People from Aizu Domain
People from Fukushima Prefecture
People of the Edo period
People of the Boshin War
Women in 19th-century warfare
Order of the Precious Crown members