15 Facts About Shimazu Kameju

Shimazu Kameju or Kamejuhime, was a Japanese noble woman from the Shimazu clan during the Sengoku period.

Shimazu Kameju was the third daughter of Shimazu Yoshihisa, 16th head of the Shimazu clan, and wife to the 18th clan head, Shimazu Iehisa.

Shimazu Kameju played important roles as a diplomat when living under the Toyotomi clan, she later became castellan of Kokubu Castle.

Shimazu Kameju's mother is the daughter of Tanegashima Tokitaka known for introducing firearms to Japan.

Shimazu Kameju's mother died when she was two years old, so she was raised by a nanny and a maid.

Kameju Shimazu was the daughter of the head of the Shimazu family, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi conquers the island of Kyushu, the Shimazu family surrenders.

Shimazu Kameju, who was 17 at the time in 1587, went to Kyoto as a hostage.

Shimazu Kameju later returned to her homeland and married Shimazu Hisayasu, the son of Shimazu Yoshihiro.

Shimazu Kameju was widowed at a young age after four years of marriage.

Mitsunari was killed and the Western army lost, so the Shimazu Kameju army managed to return from Sekigahara to Osaka.

Kameju's father, Yoshihisa, who had sided with Mitsunari's army was punished, so Shimazu Iehisa saw it as an opportunity and apologized to Tokugawa Ieyasu in place of the leader of the Shimazu.

Shimazu Kameju went to live in Kokubun Castle and became a castellan.

Kameju Shimazu was banished from Kagoshima Castle due to a conflict with her husband, but as the previous head of the family, Shimazu Yoshihisa, had no son, Kameju had the right to name a successor to the head of the family.

Kameju's wish was granted and Shimazu Mitsuhisa reigned for a long time as head of the Shimazu family.

Mitsuhisa, who learned of this fact, built a family shrine for Shimazu Kameju, buried his ashes in Koyasan, and ordered his vassals to visit the shrine without fail.