Tsumaki Hiroko (妻木煕子)
Hiroko TSUMAKI (c. 1530 - November 27, 1576) was the second wife of Mitsuhide AKECHI, a busho (Japanese military commander) in the Sengoku Period (Period of Warring States) (Japan) and Azuchi-Momoyama period. Her name was also known as Hiroko (照子). Her children include Gracia HOSOKAWA (Tadaoki HOSOKAWA's lawful wife).
It is believed that she was born around 1530. She is said to have been a daughter of Norihiro TSUMAKI (Hirotada), castellan of Tsumaki-jo Castle.
However, there is no positive proof on her origin, since that is unclear like that of her husband Mitsuhide,
She was engaged to Mitsuhide AKECHI around 1545. However she had later smallpox, and her whole body remained pockmarked. It is said that her father Norihiro sent her sister who closely resembled Hiroko to Mitushide in disguise as Hiroko, but Mitsuhide found it out and married to Hiroko. Hiroko helped Mitsuhide in his days of difficulties--the surrender of the castle of the home ground, the masterless life, serving for the Asakura clan, Ashikaga clan, and Oda clan--by selling her black hair.
(However, some suggest that this episode is very similar to those about the sister of Shigezane SAITO, who became the wife of Joun TAKAHASHI, and Kenshoin, the wife of Katsutoyo YAMAUCHI, that it may have been a story created later.)
It is said that Mitsuhide also adored Hiroko and had no concubine while she was alive. One of the children between Hiroko and Mitsuhide was Tama AKECHI who was later called Gracia HOSOKAWA.
It is said that she desperately nursed Mitsuhide when he suffered from a serious illness, but she died due to the nursing fatigue. However, some says that she died in 1582 when the Sakamoto-jo Castle fell.
Her grave is in Saikyo-ji Temple in Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture, the family temple of the Akechi clan and Tsumaki clan.