Tachibana Ginchiyo (立花ぎん千代)
Ginchiyo TACHIBANA (October 3, 1569 - November 30, 1602) was a (Japanese) woman in the Sengoku period (period of warring states).
Brief Personal History
Ginchiyo TACHIBANA was born as the only daughter of Dosetsu TACHIBANA, one of the powerful vassals in the Otomo clan. The character "誾" (gin) included in her name was given by Dosetsu TACHIBANA, her father, putting the meaning of "be modest and listen to the others."
Ginchiyo inherited the family estate in 1575. She became the exceptional female family head by the desire of Dosetsu and it is said that she was an extremely rare example even in the Sengoku period (Japan). In 1581, she married Muneshige TACHIBANA, the eldest son of Joun TAKAHASHI, but retired in Haraka Village of Tamana County in Higo Province (the current Nagasu-machi, Tamana County, Kumamoto Prefecture) after the rank of Muneshige was changed and died only two years later. She was thirty-four. It is said that Ginchiyo separated (de facto divorced) from Muneshige after moving to the Yanagawa-jo Castle (the current Yanagawa City, Fukuoka Prefecture) and they had no child.
The family temple of Ginchiyo was Ryosei-ji Temple established by Muneshige TACHIBANA inviting Oyo, a monk of Raiko-ji Temple in Setaka (the current Miyama City, Fukuoka Prefecture) Kami no sho and grandson of Akimori KAMACHI. Moreover, there is a grave to be allegedly hers in Nagasu-machi of Tamana County in Kumamoto Prefecture and it is called 'Botamochi (rice cake) sama' from its shape.
Suigyoku raishin and Shoin raishin, the titles of gods, were given to Ginchiyo and Muneshige respectively in 1820.
Anecdote
Many stories have been passed down that Ginchiyo was a princess who were reputedly brave after her father.
It is said that Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI cajoled Ginchiyo into coming in the Nagoya-jo Castle to assault her while Muneshige was away due to the Bunroku-Keicho War, but she scented that and got into the Castle guarded by her maids-in-waiting with guns, herself also armed, and thereby, Hideyoshi could not do anything in terror.
While Muneshige was away, Ginchiyo, his wife, was appointed to guard the castle. Therefore, she armed with maids-in-waiting and prepared for attacks by the enemies.
It is said that Ginchiyo wore an armor and sortied from the residence to threat the attacking East squad when she was defeated in the Battle of Sekigahara.
However, many of the stories are not supported by secure historical materials, such as the above story in the Nagoya-jo Castle.