Hatsue

Hatsue (初枝) is a Japanese feminine given name. Its meaning is derived from the kanji characters 初 (hatsu, "first, original, beginning") and 絵 (e, "picture"). Other kanji combinations can also form this name.

Notable Bearers

• Hatsue Nagakubo-Takamizawa (born 1935), Japanese speed skater who competed in the 1960 Winter Olympics.
• Hatsue Ono (1898–2012), Japanese supercentenarian who lived to 113 years old.
• Hatsue Yuasa (born 1902), Japanese operatic soprano.

Cultural Significance

Hatsue appears as a character name in literature. In Yukio Mishima's The Sound of Waves, a young girl named Hatsue serves as a pivotal romantic interest. In David Guterson's novel Snow Falling on Cedars, a character named Hatsue is central to the courtroom drama.

• Meaning: "First picture"
• Origin: Japanese
• Usage: Japanese feminine given name
• Kanji: 初枝 (common compound)