Koharu in Naruto

After the foundation of the village, Koharu was seen to be in a class with Homura Mitokado and Torifu Akimichi. Later, she observed as Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō Shimura, as well as Torifu and Kagami Uchiha, were about to spar.

Under the supervision of the Second, Koharu and her comrades, Hiruzen and Homura, performed countless missions and became close friends. During a mission as Tobirama’s Escort Unit during the First Shinobi World War, the crew was surrounded by the deadly Kinkaku Force. Koharu suggested that they wait and ambush the opponent, believing that this would give them an advantage. She later observed Hiruzen, Danzō and ultimately the Second offer themselves as the decoy, allowing the others to flee.

After Hiruzen became the class='entity-link' id='suggestBtn-16'>Third Hokage, Koharu and Homura were appointed as his counselors. They were highly respected due to their years of expertise and wisdom as well as their never-ending efforts to make Konohagakure a better place. They gained equal respect and social status as the Hokage himself.

Many years later, during the attack of the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Koharu was seen fighting alongside her teammates and many other shinobi, attempting to control the beast and drive it out of the village before it could cause any further mayhem and destruction.

Koharu was among the elders who were aware of the Uchiha clan’s coup d'etat, as she was present in the meetings held between the elders and Itachi Uchiha, as they exchanged the intel on the Uchiha clan’s secret meetings and the resentment growing among them. During one of these meetings, she agrees with Danzō’s suggestion of eliminating the Uchiha clan to avoid any conflict in the village.

Part 1

Koharu initially appears during a meeting between the Konoha Council and the village’s jōnin-level shinobi during the Chūnin Exams. They talked about Hayate’s death and the impending menace of Orochimaru.

Search for Tsunade

Following the death of the Third, Koharu and Homura discover Jiraiya spying on women bathing, an action for which Homura chastises him. They then discussed Konoha and Suna’s condition, which Jiraiya stated he was completely aware of. Koharu informs him that no one is aware when another nation might attempt to invade them and also that they need to hold an executive committee meeting, but first they need to choose a Hokage.

As Koharu informs Jiraiya that he has been chosen to be the next Hokage, he denies the position, to which Homura informs him that it has already been decided because he was the best qualified for the position. Jiraiya, on the other hand, mentions Tsunade as a more competent candidate for the Hokage. Koharu acknowledges the fact that Tsunade was in fact eligible for the post but her whereabouts are not known. When Jiraiya states that he will search for her, Homura insists on three Anbu accompanying him on the mission to search for Tsunade, a suggestion that Jiraiya declines, saying that he only needs Naruto to accompany him.

Konoha Plans Recapture Mission

When Tsunade discovers that the village has been rigged with explosive tags, Koharu and Homura offer to assist in the search for and removal of the tags. Tsunade sends them to an abandoned portion of the village, where they discover an explosive tag embedded in one of the buildings’ walls. Bringing this back to Tsunade as evidence, they also notice that the tag was very ancient based on how the seal was written on it.

Part 2

Chūnin Exams

Koharu is present in the meeting held in Konohagakure about the hosting of joint Chūnin Exams in Sunagakure and Konohagakure.

Tenchi Bridge Reconnaissance Mission

Shizune becomes increasingly concerned about Tsunade’s liberal treatment of Naruto and the missions he undertook that put him at risk of confronting Akatsuki, so she approaches Koharu and Homura, who meet with Tsunade. Koharu informs Tsunade that Naruto was no ordinary boy and Homura believes that as such, he should not have left the village and should have been constantly monitored. When Tsunade rejects this, Homura informs her that despite being the Hokage, she was being too carefree in her decisions surrounding Naruto.

Through the discussion, Homura maintains a largely neutral position throughout the conversation. After Shizune says that since Kakashi is still recovering, an interim leader must be chosen, Koharu tells Danzō to enter the room. He proposes that someone from the Anbu lead the team, to which Koharu agrees.

Twelve Guardian Ninja

Tsunade dispatched a team of Anbu to capture Danzō and the unnamed assailant with whom he had been secretly communicating. They are apprehended and returned to the village. Koharu and Homura intervened during the interrogation. She informs them that while Tatsuji was passing information to Danzō, he was simultaneously relaying it to them. She then informs that, while they are unsure whether Sora possesses a particular talent, the people who assaulted the Fire Temple may also be after him.

Pain’s Assault

When Tsunade decides to summon Naruto from Mount Myōboku after Pain invades Konoha, Homura and Koharu interrupt, stating that Naruto must stay there to be safe. Homura then informs Tsunade that, according to Danzō, the commander of the Akatsuki was leading the assault with Naruto as their objective. Koharu tells Tsunade that although she overlooked it last time, this time it was different as this was the man that killed Jiraiya. Koharu insists that Tsunade let them go as she physically accosts them.

After a brief brawl between Tsunade and the two councilors, they finally tell her to do whatever she wants after initially responding with disbelief and giving up on trying to influence her opinion.

Koharu is not seen until the invasion is over, at a meeting of the heads of the country and villages. She informs the Fire Daimyō and his delegation that Tsunade was still in a coma and that they are unable to plan for the community because they do not know when she would awaken. She also took advantage of the occasion to blame Tsunade for the invasion.

Five Kage Summit

When Kakashi returns to the village from the Land of Irok and tells them what happened and that Danzō had perished. Koharu states that they must convene immediately to appoint a new Hokage. She then informs Kakashi that they were to nominate him for Hokage. Later, as they prepare to appoint Kakashi as the new Hokage, another conference with the daimyō is interrupted by Might Guy, who informs them that Tsunade had awoken from her coma.

She is later seen at a war council conference called by Tsunade. She informs them that the first priority is to obtain tools and provisions and that the forces would be divided into a battle division and a support division. She then instructs them to bring her a list of all the ninja in the village.

Fourth Shinobi World War

With the conflict raging, Ebisu calls a conference with Homura, Koharu and the villagers to discuss the potential of an attack. Both Homura and Koharu are clearly sleeping at the meeting, only to awaken when the Allied Mothers Force speaks up.

Koharu is a stern and strong-willed individual who is known for constantly looking out for Konoha’s best interests. She believes that the group is more important than any of its individual members, and as such, she attempts to act in the best interests of the village as a whole rather than its individual citizens, which frequently clashed with the views of the Third and Fifth Hokage. She, like Homura, is more militant than the Hokage she serves under, to the point of agreeing with Danzō. This became clear when she and Homura agreed with Danzō’s suggestion to eliminate the Uchiha Clan after learning of their plans for a revolt against the village.

Nonetheless, she and Homura were not afraid to face Danzō, like when the latter blames Hiruzen for the murder of the Fourth Hokage, Koharu confronted Danzō on his notable absence from the battle against the Nine-Tails. Koharu has also been regarded as a humble person.

In her youth, Koharu used to be a lovely kunoichi with dark eyes. Her hair is tied back in a double bun, which is secured with a traditional Japanese hair pin and has two pearls dangling from the side. Her fringes also covered her forehead protector. She wore a simple black outfit with gray armor, arm guards, fishnet stockings with a skirt over it, a pouch attached to her back with bandages and standard shinobi footwear. She was spotted wearing the same uniform as her comrades Hiruzen and Homura during the Nine-Tails’ attack on Konoha, replete with a gauntlet on her right arm and mesh armor.

She still sports her original hairstyle without bangs in old age. The number of pearls on her hair needle has also grown, and tassels have been added at the other end. Her earrings are also significantly longer. Koharu dresses in a simple long kimono with a jacket and a sash over it. She has also started squinting, rarely opening her eyes at all. Koharu had aged significantly by the reign of the Seventh Hokage. Her skin wrinkled, her hair became whiter and longer and her eyes dropped heavily. She also needs a cane to move around.

Koharu is shown to be extremely perceptive. Not much of her abilities have been demonstrated in the show. Danzō claims in the Book of Bright Light that Koharu and Homura are not very skillful and have never accomplished anything significant on the battlefield. He claims that they’ve only survived this long because of luck and by allying with more capable allies.

Q. How old is Koharu?

A. Koharu’s exact age is not known but she is presumed to be in her eighties.

Q. Since when has Koharu been a member of the Konoha Council?

A. Koharu has been serving on the Konoha Council since Hiruzen became the Third Hokage.

Q. What team was Koharu in?

A. During her youth, Koharu was in Team Tobirama, alongside her teammates, Hiruzen and Homura.