Hatsume no Tsubone
Hatsume no Tsubone (初芽局) was a legendary Japanese woman from the Sengoku period.[1] She was famous as the main character of the historical novel Sekigahara by Ryōtarō Shiba. In the novel, she was Kunoichi (female ninja) sent by Tokugawa Ieyasu to spy on his political enemy Ishida Mitsunari before the Battle of Sekigahara.[2]
Legends
Hatsume was born in Iga Village, a village of Ninjas. Hatsume's father was a retainer of the Takeda clan. After her father's death, Hatsume went with her sister and mother to serve the Mogami clan. Hatsume was one of maids of Komahime, the daughter of Mogami Yoshiaki.
Many writers say that Hatsume fell in love with the character of Ishida Mitsunari and began working for him in the Western army, for having served the Tokugawa, she walked freely in Edo to later inform Ieyasu's plans. After Hatsume betrayed Tokugawa Ieyasu and tried to kill him, Ieyasu had her condemned to death. She is said to have lodged at Sawayama castle in Omi province and has become a mistress of Mitsunari.[1]
After Ishida Mitsunari death at the Battle of Sekigahara she disappeared from the historical records and her existence is debated.[2]
Popular culture
Game
She appeared in various games such as Puzzle and Dragons and Sengoku Taisen.
Movie
- Hatsume (performed by Kasumi Arimura) was a protagonist character in ''Sekigahara'' film (2017).[3]
Drama
- Hatsume was starred by Keiko Matsuzaka in the TV series Sekigahara (1981).[4]
References
- "「関ケ原」初の映画化 「正義」貫く「新たな三成」描く：時事ドットコム". 時事ドットコム (in Japanese).
- Shiba, Ryōtarō (1966). Sekigahara (in Japanese). Shinchōsha.
- "「関ケ原」初の映画化 「正義」貫く「新たな三成」描く：時事ドットコム". 時事ドットコム (in Japanese).
- Sekigahara