Yoshino Nara

is the mother of Shikamaru Nara and the wife of Shikaku Nara. Usually a very strict and overbearing woman, she can also be very warm and gentle at times. Due to the passive nature of the Nara men, it's not surprising that she and Shikaku got married. He appears to have accepted the fact that she's the dominant of the two of them and avoids doing anything to provoke her.

This has resulted in Shikamaru not taking his father seriously- especially on matters involving women and relationships. He views his father as being "whipped", and comments (silently) that his father is afraid of looking his mother in the eyes. Despite this, Shikamaru is just as afraid of provoking her as his father is. Shikamaru refers to her as a "troublesome woman". When he asks his father what he saw in her- he replies "Well, there are moments when even she smiles gently." Thus, implying that she's not as tyrannical as her son perceives her to be. Despite this, it's likely that she is partly to blame for Shikamaru's rather cynical view of women.

Yoshino is a Chūnin, though she seems to have retired in favor of running the Nara Household. She is typically seen doing housework.