Tora Gozen

Tora Gozen (虎御前) was a Japanese prostitute of the early Kamakura period. She was the concubine of Soga Sukenari, one of the perpetrators of the Revenge of the Soga Brothers incident. She became widely known as a character in numerous kabuki and jōruri Sogamono plays which are based on the incident. Additionally, she is also known as Ōiso no Tora, Otora-san and Torajo.

Life It is said that Tora Gozen was a prostitute at Ōiso-juku in Sagami Province (in present-day Ōiso, Kanagawa Prefecture).

According to Soga Monogatari, she became the concubine of Soga Sukenari and remained faithful to him thereafter. It is said that she was 19 years old when the Revenge of the Soga Brothers incident took place, during which Sukenari and his younger brother Tokimune were killed.

According to Soga Monogatari, Tora Gozen died at the age of 64.

In popular culture

Filmography

Soga Kyōdai Fuji no Yashū (曽我兄弟 富士の夜襲) (1956) Toei film, Hizuru Takachiho as Tora Gozen

TV series

Kusa Moeru (草燃える) (1979) NHK Taiga drama, Tokuko Watanabe as Tora Gozen