Tokiko Yamamoto

Toki Yamamoto (Yamamoto Tokiko, born April 17, 1860 (Wanbun 1 / 1860, June 6) – March 30, 1933, Showa 8) was the wife of the Japanese Navy officer Admiral Ginpei Yamamoto. She was born in Hishigata Village, Kambara District, Niigata Prefecture, and was the third daughter of Tsuzawa Shikusuke. There are few detailed records about her life; however, it is known that in her youth, she worked as a courtesan at a geisha house in Shinagawa, and on August 28, 1878 (Meiji 11), she married Ginpei Yamamoto.

According to the "Marriage Registration Document" (dated September 13, Meiji 11) submitted by Yamamoto Ginpei at the time of their marriage, her background was recorded as "the third daughter of Tsuzawa Shikusuke, a farmer from Hishigata Village, Kambara District, Niigata Prefecture." After marriage, she devoted herself to family life and spent her life with her husband, Ginpei Yamamoto.

Yamamoto Ginpei left a written pledge when he married. It consisted of seven clauses, emphasizing politeness, trustworthiness, harmony between spouses, the prohibition of divorce, responsibilities in household chores, family duties, management of household finances, and the vows between husband and wife. Notably, he swore lifelong fidelity to the principle of "monogamy." This pledge was discovered among his personal effects after her death. Throughout his life, Ginpei忠 faithfully upheld these vows, and records indicate he had no extramarital affairs.

Toki Yamamoto was a couple who practiced an uncommon form of love marriage at the time. They had six children, including Iné, the eldest daughter of Tsutomu Takarabe, who served as Minister of the Navy; Sue, the second daughter of Vice Admiral Ichizen Yamaji; Morimasa Yamamoto, a senior executive at Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha and Kawasaki Shipbuilding; Nami, the daughter of Baron Jumyō Uemura; and Otoko, the son of Prime Minister Masayoshi Matsukata and president of Tokyo Coke Sales. Their eldest son, Kiyoshi Yamamoto, also served actively as a naval officer.

In 1880 (Meiji 13), when Yamamoto Ginpei was stationed at the Naval Academy in Tsukiji, Tokyo, she visited a practice ship called "Kenko" (a training vessel for seamanship). Ginpei personally guided her aboard, and when she disembarked, he went ahead onto the pier to arrange her footwear. The behavior at that time was met with mixed opinions among naval officers, but Ginpei was said to remain unperturbed.

Toki Yamamoto died of stomach cancer on March 30, 1933 (Showa 8), at the age of 72. Just before her death, Ginpei held her hand and offered words of comfort. It is said that she, in tears, gently returned his hand. After her passing, Ginpei reflected deeply on their bond and closed his life about eight months later.