Tokiko Yukimura

"You are a Kekkaishi, after all, so you should be able to do something."

- Tokiko challenges Yoshimori

Tokiko Yukimura (雪村 時子, Yukimura Tokiko) is the grandmother of Tokine Yukimura and the 21st head of the Yukimura family who is recognized as the most powerful Kekkaishi of her generation, as well as the strongest currently based in Karasumori.

Appearance
Tokiko is a short, older woman with gray hair that ends in a peculiar curl on her forehead. She sometimes wears reading glasses.

Personality
Tokiko enjoys teasing Shigemori Sumimura, who has been her colleague since they were young, and they argue on almost a daily basis, frequently escalating into fights that their families tend to ignore. However, Tokiko takes her Kekkaishi duties very seriously. She tends to be overly critical of all Sumimura in general and she is always reminding Yoshimori Sumimura that he should be using his power, rather than letting it use him. However, Tokiko's sternness toward Yoshimori especially may be because his reckless, impulsive nature reminds of her similar faults she had in her own youth. Tokiko is also a strict but effective teacher for Tokine, who despite not having Yoshimori's power, can often accurately analyze and respond in a variety of dangerous situations, usually in ways that Yoshimori either cannot or simply does not take the time to think of.

History
In her youth, Tokiko protected Karasumori along with Shigemori Sumimura (although it is implied that her older brother was an active Kekkaishi at the same time, just as Masamori Sumimura was still active when both Yoshimori and Tokine Yukimura had assumed their duties at the site). Tokiko was the more powerful of the two, but Shigemori was more levelheaded, constantly reminding her not to go beyond her limits. Despite the feud between their families, they appeared to genuinely care for each other, as was shown when Tokiko repaired Lord Uro's bed (with Shigemori remaining behind as her link to the human world) roughly 50 years before the god's next appearance in Karasumori. However, at some point, they began to see each other less as comrades and more as hostile rivals. Their relationship was likely strained further when Sumiko Sumimura (Shigemori's daughter) was thought to have been involved in the death of Tokiko's son Tokio Yukimura (Sumiko later denies this to Tokine, claiming there would have been no point in killing Tokio, and that she had no interest in the feud). As a result, Tokiko viewed every Sumimura with varying degrees of scorn, usually refusing to work with them unless the situation demanded it (and even then she usually needed considerable convincing from Tokine or Shigemori first).

Though she has become older and wiser, Tokiko still has a habit of going beyond her limits. She prefers a solitary, somewhat more aggressive approach to being a Kekkaishi: rather than staying near Karasumori in case her help is needed, as Shigemori does, she is often away taking care of problems on her own, leaving a Shikigami clone to guard Shizue Yukimura only (which implies that Tokiko either trusts Tokine to take care of herself, or assumes Yoshimori will do it). This is a trait she has passed on to her granddaughter, as Tokine never hesitates to approach danger alone, and is quite skilled at completing solo missions, regardless of any challenges involved.

When Tokine was 11 years old, she was seriously wounded by the Ayakashi Yumigane. Yoshimori carried her home on his back, and Tokiko answered the door. Tokiko told Shizue to prepare medicine, and thanked Yoshimori for bringing Tokine home, but then immediately ordered him to leave over his protests, shouting that there was nothing he could do for Tokine. Despite this, Yoshimori stood outside of the Yukimura Home the next day until Tokiko came out and ordered him to leave again, adding that Tokine's condition was none of his concern.

The Demon Tamer
Yomi Kasuga, a young woman from the Shadow Organization, appears outside the Yukimura Home. Tokiko is surprised since it's been so long since she heard from them, and Yomi apologizes for not informing her in advance. As proof of her identity, she summons her ogre's hand in the middle of the street, which holds her official letter. Tokiko accepts the letter and invites Yomi in to stay for a while as a guest, but reminds her not to use her ability in plain view of others. Later during Yomi's stay, as Tokine prepares to leave for her Kekkaishi duties, she notices her shakujo is not where she usually keeps it, and asks if Tokiko has seen it. She ends up having to take a spare from the shed. Later on, Tokiko rushes to Karasumori to support Tokine, and is met by Hakudo and Odo from the Shadow Organization. Shigemori joins them as well. They arrive at Karasumori to find Yomi's ogre Yoki trying to break free from Yoshimori's Kekkai. Hakudo and Odo help destroy Yoki, while Tokiko and Shigemori assist in gathering the remains.

Equipment
Shakujō: Tokiko typically carries a Shakujō while on duty. While primarily used to perform Tenketsu, it can also serve as a secondary weapon, a cutting tool, or a means of support when fatigued. However, it is fairly common for her to discard her Shakujō until it is needed.

Shikigami Paper: Tokiko carries several pieces of paper, marked with the Houin, to create Shikigami as needed.

Powers & Abilities
Hazama-Ryu Kekkaijutsu: Tokiko is an experienced Kekkaishi of great power and skill. She is capable of repairing Shinyuuchi that have had their gods hunted down, something only a high-level Kekkaishi could accomplish. She frequently leaves a Shikigami clone to guard the Yukimura home while she is away. These clones are fully functioning Kekkaishi themselves, and only the strongest Kekkaishi appear to be able to create them (Sumiko Sumimura is the only other known to have this skill ).


 * Dimensional Portals: Tokiko has the ability to force open paths to other dimensions, and with the aid of talismans, can maintain these portals for an extended period if necessary.


 * Spatial Phasing: Tokiko is also experienced at spatial phasing, and has passed this skill onto Tokine Yukimura, who, according to her, may have a natural talent for it.

Enormous Spiritual Power: Tokiko has a considerably large amount of spiritual power. The extent of her power is implied to be comparable to Yoshimori Sumimura's power, although when combined with her greater skill, she typically disarms him in seconds with no effort.

Etymology

 * The name Tokiko means "time, hour, occasion" (時) (toki) and "child" (子) (ko).

Trivia

 * Hakubi has given Tokiko the nickname "Bunny."
 * According to Shigemori Sumimura, when Tokiko was younger, if she used too much power, she had a tendency to go on a rampage, losing control and opening up multiple space-time holes before throwing herself into one (Shigemori was the one who usually closed them back up and fixed any resulting chaos). Though she has obviously matured since then, Shigemori still seems to believe it could happen any time Tokiko attempts to go beyond her usual capabilities. Oddly enough, this implies that Tokiko was a great deal like Yoshimori in her youth, and that Shigemori was more like Tokine Yukimura, at least in that Tokiko had far too much power and Shigemori watched over her in case she went too far.
 * Like Tokine, Tokiko has an overwhelming fear of cockroaches.