Nakanishi Kimio (中西君尾)
Kimio NAKANISHI (1843 - 1918) was a geisha girl in the Gion Kobu district. Her registered name was Kimi.
She had intimate relationships with members of Shinsengumi (a group who guarded Kyoto during the end of Tokugawa Shogunate) and supporters of a noble cause who lived towards the end of the Edo bakufu period. At that time, she met Kaoru INOUE at the "Uoshina" tea house located at Nawate-dori Street (which was later moved to kiritoshi, but does not remain now), and it is said that, when his life was being threatened, she gave him a mirror as her substitute. As expected, Inoue was helped by the mirror.
She also helped Kogoro KATSURA and Yajiro SHINAGAWA, and therefore, her life was threatened as well. She was once captured by Shinsengumi. However, she was helped by Isamu KONDO many times as well.
She gave birth to a child of Shinagawa and died in 1918.
Her grave is located in Chosho-ji Temple in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City.