Aya-Gozen

Who was Aya-Gozen?

Lady Aya was the half-sister of Japanese warlord Uesugi Kenshin. She was the mother of Uesugi Kagekatsu and the first wife of Nagao Masakage.

She was born Sentō, the second daughter of Nagao Tamekage. Her mother is believed to have later born Uesugi Kenshin. -gozen is an honorific suffix; her given name was Ayahime. She had two sons and two daughters by Nagao Masakage: their oldest son in childhood, so their second son, Kagekatsu, was adopted into the Uesugi clan, as reportedly were their daughters. Aya-Gozen moved to Kasugayama Castle in 1564. According to legend, she recommended Naoe Kanetsugu to serve Kagekatsu.

After Kenshin's death, a dispute arose between Kagekatsu and Kagetora; Aya-Gozen tried to protect Kagetora's heir after the death of her eldest daughter. She later returned to Kikuhime, died at Yonezawa Castle, and was enshrined at Risen-ji. Her Buddhist name was Sento-In.