Oichi

**Oichi** (お市, 1547 – June 14, 1628) was a female historical figure in the late Sengoku period. She is was best remember as the wife of Azai Nagamasa and Uzumaki Yoshishige two prominent daimyo during Sengoku Period and as the mother of Uzumaki Yoshimasa and three daughters who became prominent figures in their own right – Yodo-dono, Ohatsu and Oeyo. Oichi was the younger sister of Oda Nobunaga; and she was the sister-in-law of Nōhime, the daughter of Saitō Dōsan. She was descended from the Taira and Fujiwara clans. Oichi is famous for her honorable conduct, her beauty and determination which made respected figure.

## Life

Oichi was Oda Nobuhide's daughter and Nobunaga's younger sister. Her mother was an unnamed concubine who said to have also given birth to several of her siblings. Her other names include Ichihime (市姫), Odani no Kata (小谷の方), and Hideko (秀子). She was prized as a beauty of her time and was cherished by her older brother. She was intelligent and speculated to be slightly taller than most women of the age. Nobunaga once stated, "If Oichi was a man, she would make a fine warrior."

## The Three Azai Sisters

Oichi's three daughters she had with Nagamasa each went on to become important historical figures in their own right. The eldest Chacha was raised by Yoshishige after her birth father death after her mother married to Yoshishige. Yoshishige raised Chacha after she was his real daugther. She later married to Sanada Yukimura who became a important general during Oda-Uzumaki Contention.

The second, Ohatsu, married Kyogoku Tadataka, a man from a noble family once served by the Azai clan now serve under the Oda Clan.

The youngest, Oeyo (also called Ogō), married Tokugawa Hidetada, Ieyasu's heir and the second Tokugawa Shōgun. They had many children, including the third Shōgun Iemitsu, and Kazuko, consort to Emperor Go-Mizunoo. Kazuko's daughter Okiko became Empress Meishō, thus posthumously making Oichi both a grandmother to a Shōgun and a great-grandmother to an Empress.

## Personel Information

Cherished by her family and said to have been well loved by their retainers Shibata Katsuie and Maeda Toshiie were said to be amongst her admirers. She was also very faithful to both of her husband being faithful to Nagamasa until his death likewise she is very faithful to Yoshishige and people generally accept that she was faithful and loving to both her husbands.

Yoshishige was said to entranced by Oichi's Beauty and respect her honorable conduct and treated her well when he escort Oichi out of Odani Castle. She is also wise and caring mother made her children respect her

## Family

* Father: Oda Nobuhide (1501–1554)
* Mother: Tsuchida Gozen (died 1594)
* Brothers
	+ Oda Nobuhiro (died 1574)
	+ Oda Nobunaga (1534–1598)
	+ Oda Nobuyuki (1536–1567)
	+ Oda Nobukane (1548–1614)
	+ Oda Nagamasu (1548–1622)
	+ Oda Nobuharu (1549–1570)
	+ Oda Nobutoki (died 1556)
	+ Oda Nobuoki
	+ Oda Hidetaka (died 1555)
	+ Oda Hidenari
	+ Oda Nobuteru
	+ Oda Nagatoshi
	+ Oda Nobumitsu
* Sister:
	+ Oinu
* Husbands:
	+ Azai Nagamasa (1562–1573)
	+ Uzumaki Yoshishige (1574–1600)
* Children (By Nagamasa)
	+ Yuki Hidemasa (1563–1597)
	+ Chacha (1569–)
	+ Hatsu (1570–1633)
	+ Gö (1573–1626)
* Children (By Yoshishige)
	+ Uzumaki Yoshimasa (1577-1658)
	+ Uzumaki Yoshitada (1579-1624)
	+ Uzumaki Hiyori (1581-1641)
	+ Uzumaki Yoshiyuki (1583-1632)
	+ Uzumaki Julia (1585-1670)