Born in Wakamatsu, Fukushima as a daughter of a samurai of the Aizu Clan, Naoe Yamakawa, an elder sister of the marshal Iwao Oyama's wife, Sutematsu. Though she was once married to a member of the Kajiwara Family and gave birth to a son, Kagekiyo, she returned to the Yamakawa Family. In 1877, she started to work for Tokyo Women's Normal School as student supervisor, and became concerned in the education of girls. She was promoted to the fourth grade of kotokan (higher-grade officer) and received the title of jugoi (Junior grade of the fifth Court rank).