Biography.guide
Home › People › Shogun › Tokugawa Ienari
Portrait of Tokugawa Ienari

Tokugawa Ienari

1773 – 1841

Japanese shogun

Shogun
Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Tokugawa Ienari

Lived 1773 – 1841 (aged 67). Tokugawa Ienari was a Japanese shogun.

Tokugawa Ienari (, 18 November 1773 – 22 March 1841) was a Japanese samurai, daimyo and the eleventh and longest-serving shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan who held office from 1787 to 1837. He was a great-grandson of the eighth shōgun Tokugawa Yoshimune through his son Munetada (1721–1764), head of the Hitotsubashi branch of the family, and his grandson Harusada (1751–1827).

Ienari died in 1841 and was given the Buddhist name Bunkyouin and buried at Kan'ei-ji.

Events of Ienari's bakufu 1787 (Tenmei 7): Ienari becomes the 11th shōgun of the bakufu government. 28 February 1793 (Kansei 5, on the 18th day of the 1st month) : Collapse of the peak of Mount Unzen. 17 March 1793 (Kansei 5, on the 6th day of the 2nd month) : Eruption of Mt. Biwas-no-kubi 10 May 1793 (Kansei 5, on the 1st day of the 4th month) : Eruption of Mt. Miyama. or Tadakohime, the four-year-old daughter of Shimazu Shigehide, the tozama daimyō of Satsuma Domain on the island of Kyūshū. The significance of this alliance was dramatically enhanced when, in 1781, the young Toyochiyo was adopted by the childless shōgun, Tokugawa Ieharu. This meant that when Toyochiyo became Shōgun Ienari in 1786, Shigehide was set to become the father-in-law of the shōgun. The marriage was completed in 1789, after which Tadako became formally known as Midaidokoro Sadako, or "first wife" Sadako. Protocol required that she be adopted into a court family, and the Konoe family agreed to take her in but this was a mere formality.

Other relationships Ienari kept a harem of 900 women and fathered over 75 children.

Many of Ienari's children were adopted into various daimyō houses throughout Japan, and some played important roles in the history of the Bakumatsu and Boshin War. Some of the more famous among them included: Hachisuka Narihiro, Tokushima Domain Hachisuka Mochiaki Hachisuka Masaaki (1871–1932) Hachisuka Masauji (1903–1953) Hachisuka Masako (1941) Hachisuka Toshiko (1896–1970) Matsudaira Naritami, Tsuyama Domain Tokugawa Narikatsu (1820–1849), Shimizu Tokugawa family then to Wakayama Domain Matsudaira Narisawa, Fukui Domain Tokugawa Nariyuki (1801–1846), Wakayama Domain Tokugawa Iemochi Tazawa Hidenari, Tazawa Domain, as Tazawa Hideyasu's adopted son

Parents and siblings Father: Tokugawa Harusada (1751–1827) Mother: O-Tomi no Kata (d. 1817) Adoptive Father: Tokugawa Ieharu Siblings: Kiihime married Hosokawa Naritatsu of Kumamoto Domain Matsudaira Yoshisue (1785–1804) of Takasu Domain Kuroda Naritaka (1777–1795) of Fukuoka Domain Tokugawa Harukuni (1776–1793) Tokugawa Nariatsu Hisanosuke Honnosuke Tokugawa Narimasa Yunosuke

Wife and concubines Wife: Shimazu Shigehime, later Kodaiin (1773–1844), daughter of Shimazu Shigehide of Satsuma Domain Concubine: Omiyo no Kata (1797–1872) (There is legend said that Omiyo was daughter of Tokugawa Ieharu with a servant) later Senkoin O-ito no kata Oyae no Kata (d. 1843) later Kaishun'in Oraku no Kata (d. 1810) later Korin'in Otase no Kata (d. 1832) later Myosoin Ohana no Kata (d. 1845) later Seiren'in Ohachi no Kata later Honrin'in (d. 1850) Ohachi no Kata (d. 1813) later Chisoin Osode no Kata (d. 1830) later Honshoin Oyachi no Kata (d. 1810) later Seishoin Osato no Kata (d. 1800) later Chosoin Ocho no Kata (d. 1852) later Sokuseiin Oshiga no Kata (d. 1813) later Keimeiin Outa no Kata (d. 1851) later Hoschiin Oume no Kata (d. 1794)later Shinsei-in Oman no Kata (d. 1835) later Seishin'in Obi no Kata (d. 1808) later Hoshin'in

Children Toshihime (1789–1817) married Tokugawa Naritomo by Oman Koso-in (b. 1790) by Oman Takechiyo (1792–1793) by Oman Tokugawa Ieyoshi (1793–1837) by Korin'in Hidehime (b. 1794) later Tansei-in by Oume Ayahime (1795–1797; infant when died and replaced by her younger sister, Asahime) Married Date Chikamune of Sendai Domain by Oman Tokugawa Keinosuke (1795–1797) by Outa Tokugawa Atsunosuke (1796–1799) born by Shigehime inherited Shimazu-Tokugawa family Sohime (1796–1797) by Oshiga Tokugawa Toyasaburo (b. 1798) by Outa Kakuhime (1798–1799) by Osato Gohyakuhime (1799–1800) by Outa Tazawa Hidenari Tokugawa Hidemaru Mine-hime (1800–1853) born by Otase and married Tokugawa Narinobu of Owari Domain Tokugawa Nariyuki (1801–1846) inherited Shimizu-Tokugawa family later inherited Kii Domain and born to Otase Toruhime (1801–1802) by Ocho Jiyohime (1802–1803) by Oume Asahime (1803–1843) married Date Chikamune later married Matsudaira Naritsugu of Fukui Domain by Obi Jukihime (1803–1804) by Otase Tokugawa Tokinosuke (1803–1805) by Ocho Harehime (1805–1807) by Otase Tokugawa Torachiyo (1806–1810) by Ocho Kohime (b. 1806) Kishihime (1807–1811) Motohime (1808–1821) married Matsudaira Katahiro of Aizu Domain by Oyachi Ayahime (1809–1837) married Matsudaira Yoritane of Takamatsu Domain by Osode Tokugawa Tomomatsu (1809–1813) by Ocho Yohime (1813–1868), married Maeda Nariyasu, born to Omiyo Nakahime (1815–1817), born to Omiyo Tokugawa Narinori (1810–1827) inherited Shimizu family of Gosankyō and born by Oyae Tokugawa Naritaka born by Ocho Tsuyahime (b.1811) by Osode Morihime (1811–1846) married Nabeshima Naomasa of Saga Domain by Oyae Ikeda Narihiro (1812–1826) born by Oyae Kazuhime (1813–1830) married Mori Narito of Chōshū Domain by Ocho Takahime (1813–1814) by Osode Tokugawa Okugoro (1813–1814) by Ohachi Kotohime (1815–1816) by Ohana Tokugawa Kyugoro (1815–1817) by Ocho Matsudaira Naritami born to Oyae Suehime (1817–1872) married Asano Naritaka of Hiroshima Domain later Yousein by Omiyo Kiyohime (1818–1868), married Sakai Tadanori of Himeji Domain later Seiko-in, born to Oyae Matsudaira Nariyoshi (1820–1838) adopted to Fukui-Matsudaira family by Ohana Tokugawa Shichiro (1818–1821) by Osode Matsudaira Nariyoshi (1819–1839) of Hamada Domain and born to Oyae Ei-hime (1819–1875) married Tokugawa Narikura of Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa Family by Ohana Tokugawa Nariharu born by Ohana Matsudaira Narisawa born by Honrin'in Tokugawa Narikatsu (1820–1850) inherited Shimizu-Tokugawa family later inherited Kii Domain and born by Osode Hachisuka Narihiro born by Oyae Tokugawa Hachiro (1822–1823) by Osode Matsudaira Narisada (1823–1841) born by Ohana Matsudaira Narikoto (1825–1844) of Akashi Domain born by Ohana Taehime (1827–1843) by Ohana and married Ikeda Narimichi of Tottori Domain Tokugawa Taminosuke, born by O-ito Fumihime

Notable descendants Tokugawa Nariyuki (1801–1846) Kikuhime Yohime Tokugawa Iemochi

Asahime (1803–1843) married Matsudaira Naritsugu Kikuhime (1829–1829) Yoshimaru (1835–1835) Kuninosuke

Tokugawa Naritaka Shomaru (1846–1847) inherited Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa family Rihime married Asano Yoshiteru Fuhime married Matsudaira Noritoshi

Yo-hime (1813–1868) married Maeda Nariyasu Ikeda Yoshitaka (1834–1850) Kanoshimaru Maeda Yoshiyasu Maeda Toshitsugu (1858–1900) Namiko married Toshinari Maeda Maeda Toshitatsu (1908–1989) Maeda Toshiyasu (b. 1935) Maeda Toshinori (b. 1963)

Matsudaira Naritami Matsudaira Yasutomo Hitoshimaru daughter married Miura Yoshitsugu Matsudaira Yasutami (1861–1921) Matsudaira Yasuyoshi Matsudaira Yasuharu Takako married Ichishima Noriatsu Teruko married Shuta Yasuto Watanabe Akira Tsuruko married Matsudaira Yoritsune Sansuko married Isahaya Fujio Matsudaira Shiro Matsudaira Fumihiro

Suehime Yakuhime (1843–1843)

Kiyo-hime Tokudairo (1835–1837) Kisohime (b. 1834) married Sakai Tadatomi

Tokugawa Narikatsu (1820–1850) Ryuchiyo Tatsujiro Nobehime Akihime Junhime Kikuhime

Hachisuka Narihiro Kayohime (1848–1865) married Matsudaira Mochiaki Hachisuka Mochiaki Hachisuka Masaaki (1871–1932) Hachisuka Tsuruko Hachisuka Yoshiko Hachisuka Saeko married Satake Yoshitane Hachisuka Fueko married Masayuki Matsuda Asako married Prince Kaya-no-Miya Harunori Hachisuka Toshiko (1896–1970) married Matsudaira Yasuharu 1 son and 4 daughters Masauji Hachisuka (1903–1953) Masako Hachisuka (b. 1941)

Tokugawa Ieyoshi Takechiyo (1813–1814) Tatsuhime (1814–1818) Tomohime (1815–1815) Saigen-in (1816–1816) Yochiyo (1819–1820) Entsuin (1822-1822) Tokugawa Iesada Maihime (1824–1829) Tokugawa Yoshimasa (1825–1838) of Hitotsubashi-Tokugawa Family Teruhime (1826–1840) married Tokugawa Yoshiyori and later known as Teimei-in Hanhime (1826–1826) by Okaju Tokugawa Harunojo (1826–1827) Tokugawa Atsugoro (1828–1829) Tokugawa Jikimaru (1829–1830) Tokugawa Ginnojo (1832–1833) Satohime (1833–1834) Chiehime (1835–1836) Yoshihime (1836–1837) Tokugawa Kamegoro (1838–1839) Maijihime (1839–1840) Wakahime (1842–1843) Shoyo-in (1843–1843) Okuhime (1844–1845) Tokugawa Tadashimaru (1845–1846) Shikihime (1848–1848) Sashin-in (1849–1849) Tokugawa Choyoshiro (1852–1853)

Eras of Ienari's bakufu The years in which Ienari was shōgun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō. Tenmei (1781–1789) Kansei (1789–1801) Kyōwa (1801–1804) Bunka (1804–1818) Bunsei (1818–1830) Tenpō (1830–1844)

Ancestry

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Shogun
Positions held
Naidaijin, Konoe Daisho, Shogun, Udaijin

People in Tokugawa Ienari's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tokugawa Ienari's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tokugawa Ienari?

Japanese shogun

When was Tokugawa Ienari born?

Tokugawa Ienari was born on 18 November 1773 in Edo.

When did Tokugawa Ienari die?

Tokugawa Ienari died on 22 March 1841.

What was Tokugawa Ienari's occupation?

Tokugawa Ienari was a shogun.

What nationality was Tokugawa Ienari?

Tokugawa Ienari was Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tokugawa Ienari

· Wikidata: Q439717

· DBpedia: Tokugawa Ienari

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tokugawa Ienari. https://biography.guide/tokugawa-ienari/

MLA: "Tokugawa Ienari." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tokugawa-ienari/.

Chicago: "Tokugawa Ienari." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tokugawa-ienari/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Page generated 2026-09-27 05:28 UTC