After her birth, she was raised in her hometown Satsuma but she was called to Edo from Satsuma when she was engaged with Toyochiyo (later day Ienari TOKUGAWA), the son of Harusada TOKUGAWA.
茂姫は誕生後、そのまま国許の薩摩にて養育されていたが、徳川治済の息子・豊千代（後の徳川家斉）と3歳のときに婚約し、薩摩から江戸に呼び寄せられた。