was one of the surnames bestowed by the

Emperors of Japan An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( e ...

upon members of the

imperial family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term pap ...

who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...

(794–1185 AD), although its last occurrence was during the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

. The

Taira The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided i ...

were another such offshoot of the imperial dynasty, making both clans distant relatives. The Minamoto clan is also called the , or less frequently, the , using the

on'yomi are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequent ...

reading for Minamoto. The Minamoto were one of four great

clans A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, meaning ...

that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period—the other three were the

Fujiwara Fujiwara (, written: 藤原 lit. "''Wisteria'' field") is a Japanese surname. (In English conversation it is likely to be rendered as .) Notable people with the surname include: ; Families * The Fujiwara clan and its members ** Fujiwara no Kamatari ...

, the

, and the

Tachibana The term has at least two different meanings, and has been used in several contexts. People * – a clan of ''kuge'' (court nobles) prominent in the Nara and Heian periods (710–1185) * – a clan of ''daimyō'' (feudal lords) prominent in the Mu ...

History

The first emperor to grant the surname Minamoto was

Minamoto no Makoto was the seventh son of the Japanese Emperor Saga, and was the first courtier to be given the name Minamoto. Initially an honorary name given to a number of unrelated courtiers by a number of different Emperors, the Minamoto clan would grow to be ...

, seventh son of Emperor Saga. The most prominent of the several Minamoto families, the

Seiwa Genji The is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto no Yoshiie, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the foun ...

, descended from

Minamoto no Tsunemoto was a samurai and Imperial Prince during Japan's Heian period, one of the progenitors of the Seiwa Genji branch of the Minamoto clan. He was a son of Sadazumi-shinnō and grandson of Emperor Seiwa. Legend has it that Tsunemoto, in his childhood, ...

(897–961), a grandson of Emperor Seiwa. Tsunemoto went to the provinces and became the founder of a major warrior dynasty.

Minamoto no Mitsunaka was a Japanese samurai and court official of the Heian period. He served as '' Chinjufu-shōgun'' and acting governor of Settsu Province''.'' His association with the Fujiwara clan made him one of the wealthiest and most powerful courtiers of his ...

(912–997) formed an alliance with the Fujiwara. Thereafter the Fujiwara frequently called upon the Minamoto to restore order in the capital,

Heian-Kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mov ...

(modern

Kyōto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

). Mitsunaka's eldest son,

Minamoto no Yorimitsu , also known as Minamoto no Raikō, served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, taking the violent measures the Fujiwara were themselves unable to take. He is one of the earliest Minamoto of historical note for his mil ...

(948–1021), became the protégé of

Fujiwara no Michinaga was a Japanese statesman. The Fujiwara clan's control over Japan and its politics reached its zenith under his leadership. Early life Michinaga was born in Kyōto, the son of Kaneiye. Kaneiye had become Regent in 986, holding the position unti ...

; another son,

Minamoto no Yorinobu was a samurai commander and member of the powerful Minamoto clan. Along with his brother Yorimitsu, Yorinobu served the regents of the Fujiwara clan, taking the violent measures the Fujiwara were themselves unable to take. He held the title, p ...

(968–1048) suppressed the rebellion of

Taira no Tadatsune was a chieftain of the Taira clan in the early 11th century, and predecessor of the Chiba clan. He was also, for a time, Governor of Shimōsa and Vice-Governor of Kazusa Provinces, and manager of the Grand Shrine of Ise in fact if not in name. ...

in 1032. Yorinobu's son,

Minamoto no Yoriyoshi was a Japanese samurai lord who was the head of the Minamoto clan and served as '' Chinjufu-shōgun''. Along with his son Minamoto no Yoshiie, he led the Imperial forces against rebellious forces in the north, a campaign called the Zenkunen War, ...

(988–1075), and grandson,

Minamoto no Yoshiie Minamoto No Yoshiie (源義家; 1039 – 4 August 1106), also known as Hachimantarō, was a Minamoto clan samurai of the late Heian period, and '' Chinjufu-shōgun'' (Commander-in-chief of the defense of the North). The first son of Minamoto ...

(1039–1106), pacified most of northeastern Japan between 1051 and 1087. The Seiwa Genji's fortunes declined in the

Hōgen Rebellion In Japanese, Hōgen may refer to several words. Among them: * Hōgen (era) (保元, 1156–1159), an era in Japan * Hōgen rebellion, a short civil war in 1156 * dialect (方言) — for example: "eigo no hōgen" (English dialect) See also * ...

(1156), when the Taira executed most of the line, including

Minamoto no Tameyoshi was head of the Minamoto clan during his lifetime, and son of Minamoto no Yoshichika, son of Minamoto no Yoshiie. He led the Minamoto in the Hōgen Rebellion. Tameyoshi is also known as . Though he was most famous for his involvement in the Hōge ...

. During the Heiji Disturbance (1160), the head of the Seiwa Genji,

Minamoto no Yoshitomo (1123 – 11 February 1160) was the head of the Minamoto clan and a general of the late Heian period of Japanese history. His son Minamoto no Yoritomo became ''shōgun'' and founded the Kamakura shogunate, the first shogunate in the history of ...

, died in battle.

Taira no Kiyomori was a military leader and ''kugyō'' of the late Heian period of Japan. He established the first samurai-dominated administrative government in the history of Japan. Early life Kiyomori was born in Heian-kyō, Japan, in 1118 as the first so ...

seized power in Kyoto by forging an alliance with the retired emperors

Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''ins ...

and

Toba Toba may refer to: Languages * Toba Sur language, spoken in South America * Batak Toba, spoken in Indonesia People * Toba people, indigenous peoples of the Gran Chaco in South America * Toba Batak people, a sub-ethnic group of Batak people from ...

and infiltrating the ''

kuge The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto. The ''kuge'' were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th century until the rise of the Kamakur ...

''. He sent

Minamoto no Yoritomo was the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1192 until 1199.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Minamoto no Yoriie" in . He was the husband of Hōjō Masako who acted as regent (''shikken'') after his ...

(1147–1199), the third son of Minamoto no Yoshimoto of the Seiwa Genji, into exile. In 1180, during the

Genpei War The was a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who appointed himself ...

, Yoritomo mounted a full-scale rebellion against the Taira rule, culminating in the destruction of the Taira and the subjugation of eastern Japan within five years. In 1192 he received the title ''

shōgun , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

'' and set up the first ''

bakufu , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

'' at

Kamakura is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...

. The later

Ashikaga Ashikaga (足利) may refer to: * Ashikaga clan (足利氏 ''Ashikaga-shi''), a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Minamoto clan; and that formed the basis of the eponymous shogunate ** Ashikaga shogunate (足利幕府 ''Ashikaga bakufu''), a ...

(founders of the

Ashikaga shogunate The , also known as the , was the feudal military government of Japan during the Muromachi period from 1336 to 1573.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Muromachi-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 669. The Ashikaga shogunate was establ ...

), Nitta, and

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files

clans claim descent from the Seiwa Genji. The

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

of the classical Japanese novel '' The Tale of Genji'',

Hikaru Genji is the protagonist of Murasaki Shikibu's important Heian-era Japanese novel '' The Tale of Genji''. The story describes him as a superbly handsome man and a genius. Genji is the second son of a Japanese emperor, but he is relegated to civilia ...

, was bestowed the name Minamoto for political reasons by his father the emperor and was delegated to civilian life and a career as an imperial officer. The

is also the subject of the early Japanese epic ''

The Tale of the Heike is an epic poetry, epic account compiled prior to 1330 of the struggle between the Taira clan and Minamoto clan for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War (1180–1185). Heike () refers to the Taira (), ''hei'' being ...

'' (''Heike Monogatari'').

Members of the Minamoto clan (Genji clan)

Genealogy-of-the-Minamoto-Clan-Utagawa-Kuniyoshi

Even within royalty there was a distinction between princes with the title (" aving theability to advance", ''i.e.'', eligible to become the new Emperor), who could ascend to the throne, and princes with the title ("great" or "major"), who were not members of the line of imperial succession but nevertheless remained members of the royal class (and therefore outranked members of Minamoto clans). The bestowing of the Minamoto name on a (theretofore-)prince or his descendants excluded them from the royal class altogether, thereby operating as a reduction in legal and social rank even for ''ō''-princes not previously in the line of succession. Many later clans were formed by members of the Minamoto clan, and in many early cases, progenitors of these clans are known by either family name. There are also known

monks A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicat ...

of Minamoto descent; these are often noted in genealogies but did not carry the clan name (in favor of a

dharma name A Dharma name or Dhamma name is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism and monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism (where it is more proper to call it Dhamma or Sangha name). The nam ...

). There were 21 branches of the clan, each named after the emperor from whom it descended. Some of these lineages were populous, but a few produced and no descendants.

Saga Genji

The Saga Genji are descendants of

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan,#Kunaichō, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Saga's reign spanned the years from 809 through 823 ...

. As Saga had many children, many were bestowed the ''

uji is a city on the southern outskirts of the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Founded on March 1, 1951, Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. ...

'' Minamoto, declassing them from imperial succession. Among his sons, Makoto,

Tokiwa Tokiwa, usually written , , or , may refer to: Places *Tokiwa, Fukushima, a town in the north of Japan's main island *Tokiwa, Aomori, a village in the far north of Japan's main island Colleges and universities *Tokiwa Junior College, Mito, Ibaraki ...

, and Tōru took the position of Minister of the Left (''

sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the ini ...

''); they were among the most powerful in the Imperial Court in the early

. Some of Tōru's descendants in particular settled the provinces and formed '' buke''. Clans such as the

Watanabe Watanabe ( and other variantsSee #Miscellaneous) is a Japanese surname derived from the noble and samurai Watanabe clan, a branch of the Minamoto clan, descending from the Emperor Saga (786-842), the 52nd Emperor of Japan, and refers to a locat ...

Matsuura Matsuura (written: 松浦) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Akiko Matsuura, Japanese drummer *Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1982), former Japanese football player *Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1981), forme ...

, and

Kamachi Kamachi (written: 蒲池) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: * (1520–1578), Japanese warrior * (born 1936), Japanese sport shooter {{surname, Kamachi Japanese-language surnames ...

descend from the Saga Genji. Noted Saga Genji and descendants include: *

Makoto is a unisex Japanese name although it is more commonly used by males. As a noun, Makoto means "sincerity" (誠) or "truth" (真, 眞). People Given name * Makoto (musician) (born 1977), drum and bass artist *Makoto (Sharan Q) ( まこと), ...

, seventh son of the Emperor * Hiromu, eighth son of the Emperor ** Hitoshi, grandson of Hiromu *

, son of the Emperor ** Okoru, first son of Tokiwa * Sadamu, son of the Emperor ** Shitagō, great-grandson of Sadamu *

Hiroshi is a common masculine Japanese given name. It can also be transliterated as Hirosi. Possible writings Hiroshi can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *浩, "meaning" *汎 *弘, *宏, *寛, *洋, *博, *博一, *博司, ...

, son of the Emperor * Tōru, son of the Emperor ** Anbō (secular name Minamoto no Shitagō), great-grandson of Tōru **

Watanabe no Tsuna (953–1025) was a Japanese samurai, a companion in arms of Minamoto no Yorimitsu (also known as Raikō), one of the earliest samurai to be famed for his military exploits in a number of tales and legends. Watanabe no Tsuna was the first pers ...

(his official name was Minamoto no Tsuna, who resided at Watanabe in Settsu province, and took the name of the place), great-great-grandson of Tōru ***

Matsuura Hisashi Matsuura (written: 松浦) is a Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Akiko Matsuura, Japanese drummer *Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1982), former Japanese football player *Atsushi Matsuura (footballer born 1981), forme ...

, great-grandson of Tsuna ** Koreshige, grandson of Tōru *** Mitsusue, great-great-grandson of Koreshige * Tsutomu, son of the Emperor * Hiraku, son of the Emperor History records indicate that at least three of Emperor Saga's daughters were also made Minamoto (

Kiyohime (or just Kiyo) in Japanese folklore is a character in the story of Anchin and Kiyohime. In this story, she fell in love with a Buddhist monk named Anchin, but after her interest in the monk was rejected, she chased after him and transformed int ...

, Sadahime, and Yoshihime), but few records concerning his daughters are known.

Ninmyō Genji

They were descendants of

Emperor Ninmyō was the 54th emperor of Japan, Emperor Ninmyō, Fukakusa Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Ninmyō's reign lasted from 833 to 850, during the Heian period. Traditional narrative Nin ...

. His sons Masaru and

Hikaru is a Japanese unisex given name meaning "light" or "radiance". Possible writings Hikaru can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: * 光, "light" * 輝, "radiance" The name can also be written in hiragana or katakana. It is m ...

were

udaijin was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''udaijin'' in the context of a central administr ...

. Among Hikaru's descendants was Minamoto no Atsushi, adoptive father of the Saga Genji's

and father of the Seiwa Genji's Mitsunaka's wife.

Montoku Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Montoku (August 826 – 7 October 858) was the 55th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 文徳天皇 (55)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Montoku's reign lasted from 850 to 858. Traditional narrative Before ...

. Among them, Yoshiari was a

, and among his descendants were the Sakado clan who were Hokumen no Bushi.

Seiwa Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Seiwa was the 56th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 清和天皇 (56)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.He was also the pre ...

. The most numerous of them were those descended from Tsunemoto, son of Prince Sadazumi. Hachimantarō Yoshiie of the

Kawachi Genji The Kawachi Genji ({{lang, ja, 河内源氏) were members of a family line within that of the Seiwa Genji, which in turn was one of several branches of the Minamoto clan, one of the most famous noble clans in Japanese history. Descended from Minamo ...

was a leader of a '' buke''. His descendants set up the

Kamakura shogunate The was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Kamakura-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 459. The Kamakura shogunate was established by Minamoto no Y ...

, making his a prestigious pedigree claimed by many ''buke'', particularly for the direct descendants in the

Ashikaga clan The was a prominent Japanese samurai clan which established the Muromachi shogunate and ruled Japan from roughly 1333 to 1573. The Ashikaga were descended from a branch of the Minamoto clan, deriving originally from the town of Ashikaga in ...

(that set up the

) and the rival

Nitta clan The was one of several major families descended from the Seiwa Genji, and numbered among the chief enemies of the Hōjō clan regents, and later the Ashikaga shogunate. The common ancestor of the Nitta, Minamoto no Yoshishige (1135 – 1202 ...

. Centuries later,

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...

would claim descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Nitta clan.

Yōzei Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Yōzei was the 57th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (57)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 876 through 884. Traditional narrative Before his ascension ...

. While Tsunemoto is termed the ancestor of the Seiwa Genji, there is evidence (rediscovered in the late 19th century by

Hoshino Hisashi was a Japanese historian, active in the late 19th century debates over the role of Japanese history. Career Hoshino was appointed professor at Tokyo Imperial University in 1888. Historical work had previously been carried out in a government d ...

) suggesting that he was actually the grandson of Yōzei rather than of Seiwa. This theory is not widely accepted as fact, but as Yōzei was deposed for reprehensible behavior, there would have been a compelling motive to claim descent from more auspicious origins if it were the case.

Kōkō Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Kōkō was the 58th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 光孝天皇 (58)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Traditional narrative Before the emperor's ascension to the Chr ...

. The great-grandson of his firstborn

Prince Koretada A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

Kōshō was a after ''Kyōtoku'' and before ''Chōroku.'' This period spanned the years from July 1455 through September 1457. The reigning emperor was .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) ''Annales des empereurs du japon'', pp. 331349. Change of Era * 1455 : The ...

, was the ancestor of a line of ''

busshi A Busshi (仏師) is a Japanese sculptor specializing in Buddha statues. List of Busshi * Chōkai ( ja) * Chōsei ( ja) * Eikai ( ja) * Enkū * Ensei ( ja) * Genkei ( ja) * Gyōkai ( ja) * Higo Bettō Jōkei ( ja) * Inchō ( ja) * Injo ( ...

'', from which various styles of Buddhist sculpture emerged. Kōshō's grandson Kakujo established the

Shichijō Bussho literally means ''seventh street'' in Japanese. * , a numbered east–west street in Heian-kyō, present-day Kyoto, Japan * Shichijō Station, a train station on the Keihan Main Line in Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto * , a Japanese kuge family descended fro ...

workshop.

Uda Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befo ...

. Two sons of Prince Atsumi, Masanobu and Shigenobu became ''

''. Masanobu's children in particular flourished, forming five ''dōjō'' houses as ''

'', and as '' buke'' the

Sasaki clan are a historical Japanese clan. Overview After World War II the clans of Sasaki-rokkaku were combined, the clans were spread out between South Eastern Asian islands and the head of the clan left Japan and eventually moved to the United States ...

of the Ōmi Genji, and the

Izumo Genji Izumo (出雲) may refer to: Locations * Izumo Province, an old province of Japan * Izumo, Shimane, a city located in Shimane Prefecture ** Izumo Airport * Izumo-taisha, one of Japan's most ancient and important Shinto shrines Ships * ''Izumo'' ...

Daigo Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Ge ...

. His son Takaakira became a ''

'', but his downfall came during the

Anna incident Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

. Takaakira's descendants include the

Okamoto Okamoto (written: 岡本 literally "hill base") is the 48th most common Japanese surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Anri Okamoto (born 1994), fashion model and an actress in Japan *Atsushi Okamoto (born 1981), professional Nippon ...

and Kawajiri clans. Daigo's grandson Hiromasa was a reputed musician.

Murakami Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Murakami was the 62nd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 村上天皇 (62)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967. Biography Before he ascended to ...

. His grandson Morofusa was an ''

'' and had many descendants, among them several houses of ''dōjō

''. Until the

took it during the

Muromachi period The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate (''Muromachi bakufu'' or ''Ashikaga bakufu''), which was officially established in 1338 by t ...

, the title of '' Genji no Chōja'' always fell to one of Morofusa's progeny.

Reizei Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Reizei was the 63rd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 冷泉天皇 (63)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Reizei's reign spanned the years from 967 through 969, ending with his abdication and retirement. ...

. Though they are included among the listing of 21 Genji lineages, no concrete record of the names of his descendants made Minamoto is known to survive.

Kazan Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Kazan was the 65th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 花山天皇 (65)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kazan's reign spanned the years from 984 through 986. Biography Before his ascension to the Chrysan ...

. They became the ''

dōjō A is a hall or place for immersive learning or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts, but has been seen increasingly in other fields, such as meditation and software development. The term literally means "place of the ...

'' Shirakawa family, which headed the

Jingi-kan The , also known as the Department of Shinto Affairs, Department of Rites, Department of Worship, as well as Council of Divinities, was a Japanese Imperial bureaucracy established in the 8th century, as part of the ''ritsuryō'' reforms. It was fi ...

for centuries, responsible for the centralized aspects of

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

Sanjō Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Sanjō was the 67th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 三条天皇 (67)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Sanjō's reign spanned the years from 1011 through 1016. Biography Before his ascension to the Chry ...

's son Prince Atsuakira. Starting with one of them, Michisue, the position of ''Ōkimi-no-kami'' (chief genealogist of the imperial family) in the

Ministry of the Imperial Household The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was reorganized in the Meiji period and existed until 1947, before ...

was passed down hereditarily.

Go-Sanjō Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Go-Sanjō was the 71st emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (71)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Sanjō's reign spanned the years from 1068 through 1073. This 11th century sovereign was named a ...

's son

Prince Sukehito A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

. Sukehito's son Arihito was a ''

''.

's vassal

Tashiro Nobutsuna Tashiro (田代) can refer to: Slang In Japan, "Tashiro" is a slang word. Tashiro refers to acts of peeping and taking sneak shots. Origin of the term derives from Masashi Tashiro, a famous celebrity who was prosecuted for filming up a woman's skir ...

, who appears in the ''

Tale of the Heike is an epic account compiled prior to 1330 of the struggle between the Taira clan and Minamoto clan for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War (1180–1185). Heike () refers to the Taira (), ''hei'' being the ''on'yo ...

'', was allegedly Arihito's grandson (according to the ''

Genpei Jōsuiki The , is a 48-book extended version of the ''Heike Monogatari'' (''The Tale of the Heike''). References External links at University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research univ ...

'').

Go-Shirakawa Genji

This line consisted solely of

Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''ins ...

son Mochihito-ō (Takakura-no-Miya). As part of the succession dispute that led to the opening hostilities of the

, he was declassed (renamed "Minamoto no Mochimitsu") and exiled.

Juntoku Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Juntoku (October 22, 1197 – October 7, 1242) was the 84th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1210 through 1221. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal ...

's sons Tadanari-ō and

Prince Yoshimune A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

. The latter's grandson Yoshinari rose to ''

'' with the help of

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu was the third ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate, ruling from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was Ashikaga Yoshiakira's third son but the oldest son to survive, his childhood name being Haruō (). Yoshimitsu was ...

Go-Saga Genji

This line consisted solely of

Emperor Go-Saga was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1242 through 1246. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 8th-century Emperor Saga and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as ...

's grandson

Prince Koreyasu , also known as , was the seventh ''shōgun'' of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Koreyasu shinnō" in . He was the nominal ruler controlled by the Hōjō clan regents. Prince Koreyasu was the son of Prince Mune ...

. Koreyasu-ō was installed as a puppet ''

'' (the seventh of the

) at a young age, and was renamed "Minamoto no Koreyasu" a few years later. After he was deposed, he regained royal status, and became a monk soon after, thereby losing the Minamoto name.

Go-Fusakusa Genji

These were descendants of

Emperor Go-Fukakusa was the 89th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1246 through 1260. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Ninmyō and ''go-'' (後), translates literally ...

's son

Prince Hisaaki , also known as Prince Hisaakira, was the eighth ''shōgun'' of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan. He was the nominal ruler controlled by Hōjō clan regents. He was the father of his successor, Prince Morikuni. Prince Hisaaki was the son of Emper ...

(the eighth ''

'' of the

). Hisaaki's sons

Prince Morikuni was the ninth ''shōgun'' of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan. He was a son of the eighth ''shōgun'' Prince Hisaaki and was a grandson of the Emperor Go-Fukakusa. He was also a puppet ruler controlled by Hōjō Takatoki, who was the Kamakura s ...

(the next ''shōgun'') and

Prince Hisayoshi A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in s ...

were made Minamoto. Hisayoshi's adopted "nephew" (actually

Nijō Michihira was a Japanese ''kugyō'' (court noble) of the late Kamakura period. He was the son of regent Nijō Kanemoto. Michihira held the position of '' kampaku'' (chief advisor to the emperor) from 1316–1318 and from 1327–1330. He married a ...

's son) Muneaki became a ''gon-dainagon'' (acting ''

dainagon was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

'').

Ōgimachi Genji

These were non-royal descendants of

Emperor Ōgimachi was the 106th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from November 17, 1557, to his abdication on December 17, 1586, corresponding to the transition between the Sengoku period and the Azuchi–Momoyama per ...

. At first they were '' buke'', but they later became '' dōjō-ke'', the Hirohata family.

References

External links

{{commons category, Minamoto clan
Heian Period: Minamoto Clan history
Heian period