Character

Tsuyu

梅雨

Tsuyu (梅雨) is the spirit of a plum tree who lived with Tenjin for 1,000 years. She is not a shinki, but rather stayed with Tenjin out of a lasting love. Because she is a tree spirit, she is able to communicate with other trees. She was sacrificed during a covenant of Heaven to save Yato and Yukine, among other things, but was later revived by Amaterasu when the covenant found Heaven to be in the wrong.Being a spirit, Tsuyu has what seems to be an eternally youthful appearance. She has long straight black hair and bangs that hanged over her forehead. Her bangs revealed a red forehead decoration, or huadian that she wears in the shape of a plum blossom. Tsuyu's eyes are colored purple and her lips were colored red. Despite her unique circumstances and relation to Tenjin, Tsuyu is dressed in a red hakama over a white kimono - the same miko garbs Tenjin's shinki wear.Because she didn't have human emotions, Tsuyu was always calm and level-headed. She is loyal and protective of Tenjin, remaining by his side even during his violent early years. Her manner of speech is very old-fashioned and poetic-like.Tsuyu was based on the legend of Tobiume ("The Flying Plum"). It is said that after Sugawara no Michizane was exiled from Kyoto, he yearned so much for his plum tree that it uprooted itself and flew to his shrine at Dazaifu Tenmangu, where it has remained for 1,000 years. It sits at the right hand of the main shrine and is always the first to bloom.