Okaji no Kata

(December 7, 1578September 17, 1642) or Lady Okaji, was a Japanese noble lady and aristocrat who lived during the Sengoku period and at the beginning of Edo period. She was the founder of Eishō-ji temple in Kamakura and was also a concubine of Tokugawa Ieyasu. She was maybe from the Ōta clan. Her other names are Ohachi no Kata (お八の方) and Okatsu no Kata (お勝の方). Biography Okaji no kata was of relatively unknown origin. She was either Ōta Yasusuke's adopted daughter, Tōyama Naokage's daughter, or Edo Shigemichi's daughter. There are also tales that say she shared a brother-sister relationship with Dōkan. Various theories state that she could have been Tōyama Tsunakage's daughter or youngest sister. Many people believe that Ieyasu met Okaji around the time he first settled in Edo. Due to her status as his concubine, her age when they met is not recorded but some historians postulate that she could have been in her early teens. The two met due to her older brother reaching a higher status. She was admired by Tenkai, a Buddhist monk and political advisor from Ieyasu. He then recognized Okatsu's intelligence and recommended her to Ieyasu. Ieyasu was pleased with her charming wit and fell in love with her quickly. She was going to marry Matsudaira Masatsuna (Ieyasu's son) but the arrangement was cancelled after she became pregnant.