Masako Tokugawa

Masako Tokugawa (born September 21, 1885 – August 17, 1963) was the wife of Tokugawa Iemasa, a member of the Japanese imperial family.

Life

She was born as the ninth daughter of the late Shimazu Tadayoshi, a former lord of Satsuma Domain and a duke, and his concubine, Yamazaki Jurumiko. After her father Shimazu Tadayoshi's death, on April 12, 1898 (Meiji 31), she traveled to Kobe with her elder sister, Kunihiko Ōhi, and her younger brother, Shimazu Tadayoshi, aboard the Kiso River Maru. They arrived at the old Shinbashi Station on April 18 of the same year.

In March 1906 (Meiji 39), she graduated from the Marquis Girls' School. Subsequently, she married Tokugawa Iemasa and had one son and three daughters.

Family

Her husband was the 17th head of the Tokugawa family, Tokugawa Iemasa. Their marriage was arranged in advance according to the will of Tenshō-in, the principal wife of the 13th shogun Tokugawa Iesada, prior to the birth of their two children.

Regarding the headship of the family, because their eldest son, Iie, died young, Iemasa maintained the continuity of the main family line by adopting their eldest daughter, Toyo, and Tsunetaka, the second son of Ikkō Matsudaira, from the Aizu-Matsudaira family. After Iemasa's death, Tsunetaka became the 18th head of the Tokugawa family.

As for grandparents, on her father's side, Matsuhei Tsuneo was elected in the first regular election of the House of Councillors and chosen as the first House of Councillors' president.

Relatives

Father: Shimazu Tadayoshi

Mother: Yamazaki Jurumiko

Siblings:

- Lady Chōshi, Marquis Kuroda Nagamasa's wife

- Lady Chōshi, Count Matsudaira Naoakira's wife

- Princess Kikuko, Princess Kikumaro of the Yamashina-no-miya family

- Lady Tomoko, Count Tomonaga Tatsuoki's wife

- Lady Sadako, Count Hisamura Hisamatsu's wife

- Princess Kunihiko of the Kuni-no-miya family

- Her own name: Masako

- Shimazu Tadayoshi (the 30th head of the Shimazu family)

Family after marriage

Husband: Tokugawa Iemasa (the 16th head of the main Tokugawa family, eldest son of Tokugawa Ietada)

Eldest son: Iie (January 11, 1912 – September 28, 1936)

Eldest daughter: Toyo (married to Ikkō Matsudaira)

Second daughter: Toshiko (married to Takashi Uesugi)

Third daughter: Junko (married to Mitsumasa Hoshina)

Adopted children:

- Tadayoshi Tokugawa (second son of Keimin Matsudaira, later divorced from the adoption arrangement)

- Tsunetaka Tokugawa (second son of Toyo and Ikkō Matsudaira)

Episodes

The back part of her residence in Sendagaya was managed entirely by her mother-in-law, Yasu Tokugawa, and she was not involved in raising her children. Masako was reserved by nature and, together with her husband Iemasa, traveled abroad several times. However, her proficiency in English was limited. They traveled three times abroad: first to England, then China, and again to England. After those trips, she did not accompany him on further travels. In London, she enjoyed knitting and made clothing for her daughters.