Summary
Kaede is a shrine maiden and the older sister of Kikyo, who dedicated fifty years to protecting the village following her sibling’s death. She was the first person to identify Kagome as the reincarnation of Kikyo. Serving as a vital source of advice and knowledge regarding demons and spiritual anomalies for InuYasha’s group, she is highly respected by Kagome, Sango, Shippō, Miroku, and even InuYasha himself, despite his tendency to be easily annoyed by her. Although a common misconception attributes the loss of her right eye to InuYasha’s attack on the village during his quest for the sacred jewel, the two-part anime flashback episodes "The Tragic Love Song of Destiny" reveal the true events. During a yokai attack, Kikyo realized her feelings for InuYasha had weakened her spiritual powers, leaving her unable to properly defend Kaede, which resulted in the loss of her eye. The name Kaede translates to maple tree.
