Enyuin (円融院)
Enyuin (1549 - year of death unknown) was the mother of Tojumaru MIURA and Hideie UKITA. She married Sadakatsu MIURA and then Naoie UKITA; however, some say that she was essentially a concubine of Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI, but this hasn't been proved.
Name
An honorific title 'Okatadono' and the a title of respect 'Enyuin' appear in reliable historical materials.
Her real name was conventionally known as 'Osen,' 'Ofuku,' and 'Taman.'
It is believed that 'Osen' was associated with the Buddhist name 'Hosen' engraved on a below-mentioned gorinto (a gravestone composed of five pieces piled up one upon another); and that 'Taman' (太万) resulted from a slip of the pen of 'Okata' (大方), which was an honorific title given to the mother of a person of high rank. The last 'Ofuku' was supposedly based on the Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI's letter (Hauemonjo) addressed to 'Fuku,' announcing that Hideie UKITA, who had gone into battle in Korea, returned to Busan in 1593. However, some have pointed out that 'Fuku' as the address is insufficient proof to assert that 'Fuku' was the mother of Hideie, based on the rules of writing; accordingly, her real name remains unknown.
Some say the title of 'Bizendono' remains unconfirmed either.
Her year of birth
With respect to her year of birth, various views have been put forth based on certain presumptions. Recently, however, her year of birth was substantially defined as 1549 based on e article from 'Kanemi kyo ki' (Diary of Kanemi) written by Kanemi YOSHIDA.
Origin
It has been various theories that she was from the Miura clan, the Takatori clan, or the Funatsu clan.
Career
It is said that she married Sadakatsu MIURA, the lord of Takada-jo Castle in Mimasaka Province about 1559.
In 1565, her husband Sadakatsu killed himself when Iechika MIMURA defeated him. She escaped the battle with Tojumaru, her legitimate child by Sadakatsu, and then remarried Naoie UKITA, the lord of Numa-jo Castle in Bizen Province. In 1572, she gave birth to Hideie UKITA, who ultimately became one of the Council of Five Elders.
Concerning the year of death 1594, and the Buddhist name 'Hosenni'
It is widely believed that Enyuin died in 1594 and was called Hosenni, which is based on the fact that the gravestone composed of five pieces piled up one upon another (Tokuyoshi-cho, Okayama City) has the inscription 'Hosen' engraved and the necrology stored in a certain temple includes the description of Hosen as 'Lady of Ukita clan.'
However, it was also confirmed that Enyuin was alive even after 1600, based on her autographed letter (which was subsequently burned and lost; according to Bizennanba monjo (document on Bizennanba)).
One theory is that the gravestone composed of five pieces was her grave established before one's death, while another theory is that the letter of the Society of Jesus at that time stated that the wife of Ukita Assistant Master of the Eastern Capital Offices died of disease in Okayama in that period; consequently, a more recent theory is that it is appropriate to assert that Hosenni is this woman based on the time of her death and the name 'Lady of Ukita clan.'