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Kazu-no-Miya was the eighth daughter of [[Emperor Ninko|Emperor Ninkô]] (r. [[1817]]-[[1846]]). Her mother was [[Hashimoto Tsuneko]] (Kangyôin). Kazu-no-miya is known chiefly as the wife of Shogun [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], and for the large and impressive entourage which accompanied her on her formal journey to [[Edo]] in [[1861]] for that marriage.

Kazu-no-Miya was the eighth daughter of [[Emperor Ninko|Emperor Ninkô]] (r. [[1817]]-[[1846]]). Her mother was [[Hashimoto Tsuneko]] (Kangyôin). Kazu-no-miya is known chiefly as the wife of Shogun [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], and for the large and impressive entourage which accompanied her on her formal journey to [[Edo]] in [[1861]] for that marriage.

She was at one time engaged to [[Prince Arisugawa Taruhito]], but later (in [[1860]]) her marriage with the young shogun Iemochi was decided upon as part of the "[[Kobu Gattai|Kôbu Gattai]] ("Union of Emperor and Shogunate") policy. The imperial court was opposed to this marriage for some time, rejecting numerous requests from the shogunate. Once the court finally agreed to the marriage in [[1860]]/8, Kazu-no-miya herself then expressed her firm opposition.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 3 (1937), 334.</ref>

She was at one time engaged to Imperial Prince [[Arisugawa Taruhito]], but later (in [[1860]]) her marriage with the young shogun Iemochi was decided upon as part of the "[[Kobu Gattai|Kôbu Gattai]] ("Union of Emperor and Shogunate") policy. The imperial court was opposed to this marriage for some time, rejecting numerous requests from the shogunate. Once the court finally agreed to the marriage in [[1860]]/8, Kazu-no-miya herself then expressed her firm opposition.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 3 (1937), 334.</ref>

In the end, however, in 1861 she went to Edo via the [[Nakasendo|Nakasendô]] in a huge procession<ref>For the logistical problems involved, see "The Story of Princess Kazunomiya" http://hkuhist2.hku.hk/nakasendo/kazunomy.htm</ref> and married Iemochi the [[1862|next year]]. This was perhaps the largest procession to ever march down the Nakasendô, and it included some 20,000 samurai, ''[[kuge]]'', and others. All along the route, commoners watching from the sides of the road were obliged to prostrate themselves when the princess' palanquin passed; men sitting on the earthen floor (''[[doma]]'') outside of their homes, and women and children from atop the floor within their homes, or from viewing boxes set up for the occasion.<ref>Gallery labels, "Edo-zu-byôbu to gyôretsu" exhibition, National Museum of Japanese History, Sept 2014.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15434468333/sizes/h/]</ref>

In the end, however, in 1861 she went to Edo via the [[Nakasendo|Nakasendô]] in a huge procession<ref>For the logistical problems involved, see "The Story of Princess Kazunomiya" http://hkuhist2.hku.hk/nakasendo/kazunomy.htm</ref> and married Iemochi the [[1862|next year]]. This was perhaps the largest procession to ever march down the Nakasendô, and it included some 20,000 samurai, ''[[kuge]]'', and others. All along the route, commoners watching from the sides of the road were obliged to prostrate themselves when the princess' palanquin passed; men sitting on the earthen floor (''[[doma]]'') outside of their homes, and women and children from atop the floor within their homes, or from viewing boxes set up for the occasion.<ref>Gallery labels, "Edo-zu-byôbu to gyôretsu" exhibition, National Museum of Japanese History, Sept 2014.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15434468333/sizes/h/]</ref>