Lionsdale Revels in Learning

Ayame was born into a family of well-known individuals. Her father (Ashida no Masayoshi) specialized in making katana and dai-katana for the head samurai at kamakura. Her grandmother (fathers's mother, Ashida Tsuzune) was a famous herblist. Her grandfather (mothers father, Ito no Kazuhiro) before he died was a buddhist priest. Her mother (Ito Tomoe) before giving birth to Ayame and dying, was a very profitable artisan, selling pottery, baskets, and the like. When Ayame was growing up she enjoyed many things: practicing Kyudo (the way of the bow), painting, playing music on her shakuhachi, and reading zen buddhist scriptures.

The family name Ashida came from her fathers side. The literal translation of Ashida is "water shoes" as in the sandals that are approx 4-5 inches tall as one walks in the ride paddy feilds with them on, as to not get too muddy. She took his name, and the complete name in full Ashida no Ayame, because she is the last of her clan and the name Ashida. This occured after her village was burned to the ground, where it stood close to kamakura. The reason for the destruction was the samurai of Ashikaga Takauji, headed for kamakura to overthrow the shogun there. Anything in their path that had to do with the regiment there, they destroyed. Unfortunatly it was Ayame's father and grandmother that were killed in the attack.

She was told when she was younger that she had a distant cousin, who like Ayame, had suffered a great deal of things. She traveled across Japan, selling her paintings for money, learning new things along the way. As she boarded a small boat the was heading for Oki Island, she took a last look at the place she once thought of as home. Landing in the harbour, she asked many a people in the villages if they new of her cousin.

When she arrived at her cousins inn she told her that she was the daughter of Ashida no Masayoshi and Ito Tomoe. Ayames cousin instantly new who she was, invited her in, and gave her a job at the inn and farm. As of current, Ayame tends to the farm. She enjoys ever minute of it, and hopes to have her own land one day. She also does business for the inn, by going into town formally and communicating with important people of the government.

[more info: Born in 1320 A.D. outside of Kamakura. Current year is 1338 A.D. and resides on island of oki. Studies buddhist philosphies, has taken up the art of bonsai, continues to paint and play her shakuhachi]