Narasaki Ryō

Narasaki Ryō

Narasaki Ryō (楢崎龍^?, July 23, 1841 – January 15, 1906) was a Japanese woman and the wife of Sakamoto Ryōma, an architect of the Meiji Restoration. She was active in political affairs via her husband during the Late Tokugawa Shogunate and the Meiji Period. She is commonly called Oryō in Japan.

Oryō is best known for saving the life of her future husband in the Teradaya Incident. While working at Kyoto's Teradaya, Oryō overheard the arrival of assassins from her bathtub and ran naked through the inn to warn Sakamoto and his allies.^[1] Sakamoto escaped, and they were married soon after.

Sakamoto's injuries during the attacks lead them to visit several hot springs in Kagoshima that were believed to have healing properties, in what has been said to be the first Japanese honeymoon.^[2]

After Ryōma's assassination, she married the merchant Nishimura Tsuru, and adopted her sister's child, who died while young.^[3] In her later years, Oryō suffered from alcoholism.^[4] Despite the fame of her first husband, Oryō died in poverty at the age of 66.

References

1. ^ http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AF%BA%E7%94%B0%E5%B1%8B%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6
2. ^ http://mamono.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/newsplus/1224144394/-100
3. ^ 松兵衛の除籍簿写に「楢崎て以（貞）ノ孫入籍　養嗣子松之助　明治七年八月十五日生」とある。鈴木かほる『史料が語る　坂本龍馬の妻お龍』p128-131
4. ^ 阿井景子『龍馬と八人の女性』p196-197、p200

External links

Persondata
Name	Narasaki Ryo
Alternative names
Short description	Active in political affairs
Date of birth	July 23, 1841
Place of birth
Date of death	January 15, 1906
Place of death