Hino Tomiko

Hino Tomiko was born into the Hino family, a powerful family whose women became consorts to many previous Shoguns. These familial connections enhanced the Hino's power to control the Shogunate Court. Tomiko played an important role in strengthening the Hino family's relationship with the Shogunate and enabling it to grow ever more powerful. When Tomiko's social and political status rose after her marriage to Ashikaga Yoshimasa, she decided to stay active in the shogunal government. She had her first child on the ninth day of the first month of 1459, however, the child died the same day. Later she placed the blame for the child's death on Yoshimasa's wet nurse, Imamairi no Tsubone, who was later exiled to Oki Island on Lake Biwa, where she committed suicide.

In 1460, Yoshimasa decided to abdicate his position as Shogun. However, since Tomiko had not given birth to an heir, Yoshimasa convinced his younger brother Ashikaga Yoshimi to succeed him, first in office and then gradually claiming the title of Shogun. Tomiko was against it, although at the time she had no influence to contest Yoshimi's appointment. She stood at war with the shogunate officers until she gave birth to the future Ashikaga Yoshihisa, becoming the mother of the future shogun. Tomiko went looking for military support to make sure the next successor was from her family lineage. She got support from the Ouchi, Hatakeyama, Shiba and others clans.

With her standing in the Hino family, and backed by Yamana Sozen, two factions developed in the capital, the Hosokawa clan, who supported the newly appointed Shogun, Yoshimi, and the Yamana clan, who supported the succession of Yoshihisa. Thus, Tomiko's desire to place her son in line for the succession is said to have led to the Ōnin War.

In 1489, Yoshihisa died while making an expedition to subdue Rokkaku Takayori, which was followed by Yoshimasa's death. So Ashikaga Yoshitane, who was the son of Yoshimi and Tomiko's younger sister, was nominated for the shogun by Tomiko. But Yoshimi rebelled against Tomiko's decision. He demolished Tomiko's residence and seized her territory. After Yoshimi's death, Yoshiki also rebelled against Tomiko, following his late father's will. In 1493, however, Tomiko carried out a coup with the help of Hosokawa Masamoto, dethroning Yoshiki and instead installing Ashikaga Yoshizumi, who was Yoshimasa's nephew and the son of Ashikaga Masatomo, the Horigoe-Kubo as shogun. But her life ended in 1496. She died at the age of 57.

Hino Tomiko is sometimes said to have been an evil millionairess and a bad wife, but her ability surely supported the shogunate's finances, so one may have to consider that her bad reputation has been influenced by the tendency of later generations to have come to look down on women and merchant activities. Meanwhile, particularly in recent years, some female historians and writers, influenced by feminism, have come to describe Tomiko as a capable female politician different from the exaggerated image. Either way, it can be said that she is a difficult figure to evaluate fairly.

A grave at the Kekai-in Temple, in Kamigyo Ward of Kyoto City is said to be Tomiko's. A wooden statue of Tomiko is owned by the Hokyoji Temple, also in Kamigyo Ward.

• She has been the subject of novels by Ryōtarō Shiba and Michiko Nagai.
• She was also the subject of a novel named Fuyu No Rakijatsu by Eri Kawamaru.
• Hino Tomiko was a central character in the NHK Taiga drama Hana no Ran.[2]

• Samurai Archives: Hino Tomiko

• Onna-bugeisha

• List of female castellans in Japan