Changes

*''Died: [[1912]]''

*''Died: [[1912]]''

Nishimiya Hide was a lady-in-waiting to Yoshiko, wife of [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], lord of [[Mito han]], prior to the [[Meiji Restoration]]. Like many others from elite backgrounds, she struggled to support herself and her family following the fall of the old social order.

Nishimiya Hide was a lady-in-waiting to [[Princess Yoshiko (Arisugawa no miya)|Yoshiko]], wife of [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], lord of [[Mito han]], prior to the [[Meiji Restoration]]. Like many others from elite backgrounds, she struggled to support herself and her family following the fall of the old social order.

==Edo==

==Edo==

At age 14, she fell seriously ill with the flu, of which her mother then died. For a few years following her recovery, despite her young age, Hide had to suddenly take on much of the responsibilities of the woman of the house, caring for her younger brother and sister, entertaining guests, and so forth. She wrote in her memoirs, "what I did not do did not get done."<ref>Walthall, 47.</ref> Before long, however, her father remarried, and his new wife took over much of these responsibilities, freeing Hide to apply to enter the service of Lord Nariaki's wife Yoshiko. The application included assessments of her skills at poetry and tea ceremony, and of her physical beauty.  

At age 14, she fell seriously ill with the flu, of which her mother then died. For a few years following her recovery, despite her young age, Hide had to suddenly take on much of the responsibilities of the woman of the house, caring for her younger brother and sister, entertaining guests, and so forth. She wrote in her memoirs, "what I did not do did not get done."<ref>Walthall, 47.</ref> Before long, however, her father remarried, and his new wife took over much of these responsibilities, freeing Hide to apply to enter the service of Lord Nariaki's wife Yoshiko. The application included assessments of her skills at poetry and tea ceremony, and of her physical beauty.  

She entered Lady Yoshiko's service in [[1850]], at the age of 16, being given her own maid, and her own room in a wing designated for the female attendants, at the clan's mansion in Komagome, where they had all relocated in [[1844]], after Nariaki fell out of favor with the shogun & his chief advisors. Hide would remain in Lady Yoshiko's service for nineteen years. At this Komagome mansion, Nariaki, having been ordered to refrain from manly pursuits, spent much of his time in the women's quarters, where Hide interacted with him on numerous occasions, exchanging poetry, playing incense games, and the like.

She entered Lady Yoshiko's service in [[1850]], at the age of 16, being given her own maid, and her own room in a wing designated for the female attendants, at the clan's mansion in [[Komagome]], where they had all relocated in [[1844]], after Nariaki fell out of favor with the shogun & his chief advisors. Hide would remain in Lady Yoshiko's service for nineteen years. At this Komagome mansion, Nariaki, having been ordered to refrain from manly pursuits, spent much of his time in the women's quarters, where Hide interacted with him on numerous occasions, exchanging poetry, playing incense games, and the like.

Nariaki began spending more time at the Koishikawa mansion again in [[1853]], having come back into favor with the shogunal authorities. For a time, he left Yoshiko (and therefore Hide and the other female attendants) at Komagome, but when Yoshiko's mother-in-law fell ill, she returned to Koishikawa, leaving Hide and a number of the other women behind to care for the house, and for the animals. Nariaki finally received permission in [[1855]] to return his whole family, and their attendants and so forth, to the Koishikawa mansion.

Nariaki began spending more time at the Koishikawa mansion again in [[1853]], having come back into favor with the shogunal authorities. For a time, he left Yoshiko (and therefore Hide and the other female attendants) at Komagome, but when Yoshiko's mother-in-law fell ill, she returned to Koishikawa, leaving Hide and a number of the other women behind to care for the house, and for the animals. Nariaki finally received permission in [[1855]] to return his whole family, and their attendants and so forth, to the Koishikawa mansion.