Tokugawa Masako
Achievements
View of the Shugaku-in Imperial Villa in Kyoto
Restoring Historical Communities
One of Masako’s accomplishments was restoring historical buildings using her status as an imperial family member. She also had access to resources necessary to restore them such as money and connection. She used these resources to restore cultural communities, such as historical buildings in the city of Kyoto which had close ties to the imperial family. Kyoto was known to have imperial owned land, some of which had cultural buildings that needed restoration. Masako used her position and resources skillfully to better the conditions. For example, Masako donated funds to support local buildings such as the Hirano Shrine in Kyoto in hopes of improving the communities.
After passing off the title of emperor to his daughter Empress Meisho in 1629, Gomizunoo and Masako had dreamed to create an oasis where they could get away from supervision to relax. This dream was brought to life through a massive project started in 1653 that created the Shugaku-in Imperial Villa in Kyoto. This villa, owned by the Imperial household, consists of massive Japanese gardens, artificial ponds, small islands, and temples. It was designed to focus on natural landscapes such as hills, paths, and plantations. As a result, there were no large buildings installed in the villa.
View of the Shugaku-in Imperial Villa in Kyoto
Life
as an
Artist
Portrait of Sen no Sōtan
Tōfukumon-in as an Artist
Masako is known for her works in the field of the arts under the name Tōfukumon-in. Though it is not discussed in Japanese art history as much, her works are important in understanding the arts, politics, and gender. Not only was her background significant, but her talent as well. Just like her contributions to historical buildings, Masako supported innovation of the arts in Japan by using her resources to fund artists and projects. With the support provided by Masako, many cultural projects were accomplished, keeping the city of Kyoto a cultural center. As an artist herself, Masako and her husband Emperor Gomizunoo had collaborated with artists who were of commoner status. They were invested in the fields of flower arranging and formal tea practices. Masako would invite individuals who were specialists in Japanese tea ceremony such as Sen no Sōtan, grandson of Sen no Rikyū known to have proposed ideals used in Japanese tea ceremonies to this day.
Masako was also known to have had a passion for fashion. She preferred patterned designs that were bold and elegant, which became a popular trend. Records show that she had ordered many pieces of kimono both for herself and her personal assistants. She would also gift kimono to members of the Imperial family including the extended families. This was made possible due to fundings sent from the bakufu to Tōfukumon-in, which was way more than the money that the Imperial family could prepare at the time.