Who is Akeno Tsugikuni?
Akeno Tsugikuni, the mother of Michikatsu and Yoriichi Tsugikuni, was known for creating the hanafuda earrings worn by Tanjiro Kamado.
She was a woman of slight stature and pale complexion, with long black hair that fell to her waist, styled with a bow at the back and framed by two eye-length bangs. Akeno’s attire was traditional and elegant, consisting of a magenta kimono with a white undergarment. She also donned a highly formal garment that resembled or was inspired by the Jūnihitoe, adorned with thin white crescent moons and polka dots, trailing on the floor behind her.
Akeno Tsugikuni’s Personality and Background
Akeno Tsugikuni was a deeply spiritual and compassionate woman, devoted to prayer and the well-being of her twin sons, Yoriichi and Michikatsu, during Japan’s Sengoku period. Her demeanor was serene, often likened to that of a doll, yet she harbored an intense love for her children, fiercely defending Yoriichi’s right to live against her husband’s harsh judgment.
Despite her quiet nature, Akeno’s life was marked by conflict, especially with her husband, who disapproved of Yoriichi and would physically reprimand Michikatsu for interacting with his brother. She also struggled with a debilitating illness that progressively weakened her body, an ailment she kept hidden from her family.
Yoriichi, born with a peculiar mark and extraordinary abilities, was a source of support for Akeno, often seen helping her with her physical impairments. This inadvertently led Michikatsu to view Yoriichi with disdain, mistaking his strength for weakness.
Akeno’s efforts to connect with Yoriichi included crafting Hanafuda-charm earrings and praying for his supposed deafness to be healed. She chronicled her life and innermost thoughts in a diary until her untimely death, which revealed the depth of her struggles to her family. Her passing was a profound shock to both her husband, who was unaware of her illness, and Michikatsu, who realized too late the special bond between Yoriichi and their mother.
In her final will, Akeno expressed a wish for her family to live in happiness, a desire that her husband attempted to fulfill by searching for Yoriichi, to no avail. Her memory remained a poignant presence in her family, with her husband never remarrying, a testament to the impact of her love and the void left by her absence.
