Masako Adachi (born 1221) was a Japanese noblewoman and the wife of Harunobu Adachi. She was the last survivor of Clan Adachi after her ambitious older sister Lady Hana took advantage of the First Mongol invasion of Japan to attempt to finish off Masako's family.
Biography[]
Masako was born on Tsushima island, the younger sister of Hana. While she was a teenager, she fended off a group of bandits on her own to defend her family's home, impressing the head of the Adachi clan, Harunobu Adachi. Adachi married Masako, causing Hana to become jealous; she ultimately married a retainer of the smaller Kikuchi clan, only to be abused by her drunken husband, causing her hatred for Clan Adachi to groew. Masako's intentions of carrying out justice and honor in her clan's name led to the dismissal of the retainer Kajiwara for beating his wife and daughter, the supplier Omura for embezzlement, and the farm headman Sadao for hoarding rice for himself. Masako also banished her secret lover Mai after her husband caught her stealing and wanted her flogged as punishment. After Harunobu and his sons Shigesato and Yasunari Adachi were killed in battle with the Mongols at the Battle of Komoda Beach in 1274, Hana and Masako's discontented former retainers massacred the rest of Masako's family, leaving her as the lone survivor. She was later helped in investigating the murders by her family's friend Jin Sakai, killing the conspirators once they were discovered; however, she spared her former lover Mai, and Hana committed seppuku after telling Masako of the reasons for her actions. Masako later aided Jin in the assault against Castle Kaneda, Castle Shimura, Fort Kaminodake, and Port Izumi, helping to cripple the Mongol invasion.