Honda Tadatoki

Honda Tadatoki (1596–1626), the eldest son of Honda Tadamasa, was a daimyo who ruled the Harima-Himeji-Shinden Domain during the early Edo period. His common name was Heihachiro. Born into a family inheriting the prestige of his grandfather Honda Tadakatsu, he gained combat experience by participating in the Battle of Dōmyōji during the Summer Campaign of Osaka (Keichō 20, 1615).

In Genna 2 (1616), he married Senhime, the eldest daughter of Tokugawa Hidetada. Senhime had previously been the principal wife of Toyotomi Hideyori but was rescued at the fall of Osaka Castle and entered the Honda family with a substantial dowry equivalent to 100,000 koku. A daughter, Masahime (b. 1618), and a son, Sachichiyō (1619–1621), were born to Tadatoki and Senhime.

He was deeply interested in swordsmanship and invited Miyamoto Musashi to Himeji to instruct him and his retainers in sword technique. The period when Musashi resided in Himeji held important significance in the history of his development of martial philosophy.

Around Genna 9 (1623) he fell ill, and in Kan'ei 3 (1626) he died at the young age of 31. Following his death, Senhime became a Buddhist nun, taking the religious name Tenjuin, and throughout the Edo period continued religious activities including donations to Tōkei-ji, which became known as a refuge for women seeking divorce.