Born into the Sugihara warrior family of Owari, she was later adopted by the Asano family (birth year debated).
She married Kinoshita Tōkichirō (Toyotomi Hideyoshi), then of low status. It is said to have been, unusually for the time, a marriage of mutual affection.
Around this time, when Hideyoshi became lord of Nagahama castle, she managed it. Childless, she raised young retainers such as Katō Kiyomasa and Fukushima Masanori like a mother.
Around this time she received a letter from Oda Nobunaga comforting her over Hideyoshi's philandering; in it he calls Hideyoshi a "bald rat".
When Hideyoshi became regent she was styled Kita no Mandokoro. Managing relations with the court and the daimyō, she supported the Toyotomi regime from within.
Hideyoshi died. The next year she left Osaka castle for Kyoto, leaving the castle to Hideyori and Yodo-dono.
She took holy orders as Kōdai-in and kept good relations with Tokugawa Ieyasu.
With Ieyasu's help she built Kōdai-ji in Kyoto to pray for Hideyoshi's soul.
Hideyori and Yodo-dono died in the Summer Siege of Osaka, and the Toyotomi house ended. Nene received the news quietly in Kyoto.
She died in Kyoto, remembered as a wise and warm-hearted woman who stood by Hideyoshi throughout.
Oda NobunagaToyotomi HideyoshiTokugawa IeyasuFukushima MasanoriKatō KiyomasaYodo-dono
Asano NagamasaSatake YoshishigeOda Nagamasu (Urakusai)Honda TadakatsuSakakibara YasumasaTakayama UkonMōri TerumotoHori Hidemasa
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.