Princess Masako (理子女王)

The Princess Masako (September 10, 1691 - June 30, 1710) was the lawful wife of Yoshimune TOKUGAWA, the fifth lord of the Kishu Domain (later the eighth seii taishogun [literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians"]). She was a princess of the Imperial Prince Fushiminomiya.

The Princess Teruko, the lawful wife of Mitsusada TOKUGAWA who was the second lord of Kishu Domain, was Masako's aunt, and the Princess Kenshi, the lawful wife of the fourth Shogun Ietsuna TOKUGAWA was her aunt, and the Princess Zoushi, the lawful wife of the ninth Shogun Ieshige TOKUGAWA was her niece. Her childhood name was Sananomiya. Her ingo (a title of respect given to close female relatives of the emperor or a woman of comparable standing) was Kantokuin.

In 1706 she married Yoshimune. She became pregnant after the marriage, but had a stillbirth on June 23, 1710 and she died on June 30 in the same year at the age of 20. Her posthumous Buddhist name was Kantokuingenshinnicchudaishi. Her graves are at Hoon-ji Temple (Wakayama city) and Ikegami Honmon-ji Temple.

[Original Japanese]