was a prestigious hereditary
noble title in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, used mainly between
Asuka and
Heian periods. At first, it was the second highest, below ''
Mahito
Mahito (written: ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include:
*, Japanese noble
*, Japanese gymnast
*, Japanese voice actor
*, Japanese actor and voice actor
*, Japanese composer and orchestrator
{{given name
Japa ...
'', which was given to members of the
Imperial family, but after Heian period it became the highest of the eight noble titles:
''Ason, Mahito,
Sukune,
Imiki,
Michinoshi,
Omi
is a hereditary noble title (''kabane'') of ancient Japan. It was given to the descendants of the Imperial Family before Emperor Kōgen. Along with ''Muraji'', ''Omi'' was reserved for the head of the most powerful clans during the Kofun period. ...
,
Muraji'', and ''
Inagi.''
History
The title was created as a part of the eight-''
kabane'' system, proclaimed in 684 during
Emperor Tenmu
was the 40th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53.
Tenmu's re ...
's reign, as its second highest rank. As such, ''Asomi'' was initially given to the highest ranked noble clans whose genealogical origins were often claimed back to imperial princes.
Although the clans closest to the Imperial House, that is, descendants of
Emperor Keitai, were intended to be promoted to ''Mahito'', the first rank in the original eight ''kabane'' system, this fell out of favor with the nobility. In 802,
Prince Yasuyo, a son of
Emperor Kammu was designated Yoshimine no Ason Yasuyo, an indication that he had renounced his imperial status and became a member of the
peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.
Peerages include:
Australia
* Australian peers
Belgium
* Belgi ...
. Since the Heian period, ''Ason'' became the highest of the eight ''kabane'', and began to be used by imperial princes and their descendants.
Eventually, all families with aristocratic lineage bore the title of ''Ason'', and the other titles fell out of favor, and ''Ason'' simply became a title indicating a person's social status.
Notable holders
Notable ''Ason'' were:
* Fujiwara no Ason, awarded by
Emperor Tenji to
Nakatomi no Kamatari in 668; the origin of the
Fujiwara clan
* Minamoto no Ason, first awarded to his non-heir sons by
Emperor Saga (786–842); the origin of the
Minamoto clan
* Taira no Ason, awarded to his grandson by
Emperor Kammu (737–806); see also
Taira clan
Notable holders of ''Ason'' were:
*
Kakinomoto no Ason Hitomaro, poet (c. 662–710)
*
Isonokami no Ason Maro, statesman, possibly buried in
Takamatsuzuka Tomb (640–717)
*
Kasa no Ason Maro, poet better known as Sami Mansei (
fl.
''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...
720)
*
Miyamoto no Kintada Ason, poet (889–948)
*
Fujiwara Toshiyuki no Ason, poet (fl. 900)
*
Onakatomi no Yoshinobu Ason, poet (921–991)
*
Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason
Minamoto no Muneyuki (Japanese: 源 宗于 also 源宗于朝臣 Minamoto no Muneyuki Ason) (?-939) was an early Heian '' waka'' poet and nobleman. He was a grandson of Emperor Kōkō.
In 894 he was reduced to being a commoner, holding a few pr ...
, poet (d. 983)
*
Fujiwara no Ason Sadaie
, better-known as Fujiwara no Teika"Sadaie" and "Teika" are both possible readings of ; "...there is the further problem, the rendition of the name in romanized form. Teika probably referred to himself as Sadaie, and his father probably called ...
, poet and scholar (1162–1241)
*
Taiganin den Taira no Ason Iga no Kami Raiodo Hon Daikoji, founder of
Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū (1387–1488)
See also
* ''
Sukune''
*
''Mahito''
* ''
Muraji''
References
Japanese historical terms
Classical Japan
Japanese nobility
{{Japan-hist-stub