The idea of "good wife, wise mother" was one of the most important principles of the Meiji period. It is generally accepted that this concept was put forth by Masanao Nakamura. Nakamura's concept was composed of "good wife" and "wise mother." However, Nakamura's image of the "good wife" has not yet been a main subject of research of his concept of "good wife, wise mother." By analyzing his writings, this article aims to discuss this understanding of the image, the expectations that fell upon women in order to be good wives, and the difference between Nakamura's image of the "good wife" and the image of wives in early modern period.