6. Seeing His Heart
In 1852, Okoyo, the elder sister of Chusaku Tsuji of Toyoda Village, while going to the Residence for sewing lessons from Oyasama, noticed an especially gentle nature in Okimi, the third daughter of Oyasama. Because the mother of Sojiro Kajimoto was from the Tsuji family, Okoyo recommended Okimi highly to the Kajimoto family of Ichinomoto. The Kajimoto family accepted the idea and proposed marriage between Okimi and Sojiro. Chusaku Tsuji was to act as matchmaker. To this proposal Oyasama replied:
“If it is Sojiro, there is no need for a meeting between the two. I see the fine quality of his heart. Take her.”
It is said that Sojiro was called “Sojiro the Buddha” by the villagers because he had been a kind and gentle person from childhood.
Anecdotes of Oyasama, pp. 2–3