She was born at the Minamioji residence in Shimogamo Village, Otagi County, Province of Yamashiro (present-day Shimokamo, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto) and on October 14, 1845, at the age of 13, she became a wife of the Crown Prince, Imperial Prince Osahito (later Emperor Komei), who was 2 years older than her.
山城国愛宕郡下鴨村（現京都市左京区下鴨）の南大路家で誕生し、弘化2年（1845年）9月14日(旧暦)、13歳の時に、2歳年上の東宮統仁親王（のちの孝明天皇）の妃となる。