A female warrior of the late Heian and early Kamakura period, known as the concubine of Kiso Yoshinaka (Minamoto no Yoshinaka). She participated alongside Yoshinaka in battles against the Taira clan. According to the Tale of the Heike, she was praised as "a peerless archer and warrior, wielding sword, blade, and halberd freely whether on horseback or on foot." She is said to have distinguished herself at the Battle of Kurikara Pass in 1183 and in battles across the Hokuriku region. When Yoshinaka was defeated and killed at the Battle of Awazu in 1184 by the forces of Minamoto no Yoshitsune and Noriyori—brothers of Yoritomo—he reportedly ordered Tomoe to flee because she was a woman. She is said to have taken an enemy commander's head before leaving the battlefield. Her subsequent fate is the subject of various accounts: some say she returned to Shinano, others that she married Wada Yoshimori of Etchū (Toyama). While her historical existence is debated, she is an iconic figure of the Japanese female warrior.

A woman of fierce courage with deep love for Yoshinaka. Her exploits on the battlefield were said to surpass even male warriors, and she combined loyalty to her lord with pride as a warrior. Obeying his final command to flee, she nonetheless demonstrated her pride in the last moments of battle.

An indispensable figure in the retelling of the Tale of the Heike and the Genpei War as a symbol of the Japanese female warrior. She continues to be depicted as the archetype of the "female warrior" in modern novels, games, anime, and dramas.