Shortly after birth, she was placed with terazamurai (samurai who performed administrative functions at temples), the Murakami clan, and at the age of 18, she became a waiting woman to Naoaki II, a then lord of the domain.
生後すぐに寺侍村山氏に預けられ、18歳の時に当時の藩主である井伊直亮の侍女となる。