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was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family 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 Japan ...
(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 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 subsequ ...
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, mea ...
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 Taira, and the Tachibana.


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 b ...
, 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 f ...
, descended from
Minamoto no Tsunemoto was a samurai and Imperial Prince during Japan's Heian period, one of the progenitors of 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 ...
(897–961), a grandson of Emperor Seiwa. Tsunemoto went to the provinces and became the founder of a major warrior dynasty. Minamoto no Mitsunaka (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). Mitsunaka's eldest son, Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948–1021), became the protégé of Fujiwara no Michinaga; 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, pas ...
(968–1048) suppressed the rebellion of Taira no Tadatsune in 1032. Yorinobu's son, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi (988–1075), and grandson, Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106), pacified most of northeastern Japan between 1051 and 1087. The Seiwa Genji's fortunes declined in the Hōgen Rebellion (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 H� ...
. During the Heiji Disturbance (1160), the head of the Seiwa Genji, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, died in battle. Taira no Kiyomori seized power in Kyoto by forging an alliance with the retired emperors Go-Shirakawa and Toba 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 Kamak ...
''. He sent Minamoto no Yoritomo (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 himse ...
, 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 Kamaku ...
'' and set up the first '' bakufu'' 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 (founders of the Ashikaga shogunate), Nitta, and Takeda 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 civili ...
, 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
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 himse ...
is also the subject of the early Japanese epic '' The Tale of the Heike'' (''Heike Monogatari'').


Members of the Minamoto clan (Genji clan)

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 dedic ...
of Minamoto descent; these are often noted in genealogies but did not carry the clan name (in favor of a dharma name). 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. As Saga had many children, many were bestowed the '' uji'' Minamoto, declassing them from imperial succession. Among his sons, Makoto, Tokiwa, 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 in ...
''); they were among the most powerful in the Imperial Court in the early
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 Japan ...
. Some of Tōru's descendants in particular settled the provinces and formed '' buke''. Clans such as the Watanabe, Matsuura, and Kamachi 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), d ...
, seventh son of the Emperor * Hiromu, eighth son of the Emperor ** Hitoshi, grandson of Hiromu * Tokiwa, son of the Emperor ** Okoru, first son of Tokiwa * Sadamu, son of the Emperor ** Shitagō, great-grandson of Sadamu * Hiroshi, son of the Emperor * Tōru, son of the Emperor ** Anbō (secular name Minamoto no Shitagō), great-grandson of Tōru ** Watanabe no Tsuna (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, 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. 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. Among Hikaru's descendants was Minamoto no Atsushi, adoptive father of the Saga Genji's Watanabe no Tsuna and father of the Seiwa Genji's Mitsunaka's wife.


Montoku Genji

These were descendants of Emperor Montoku. Among them, Yoshiari was a
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 in ...
, and among his descendants were the
Sakado clan is a city in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 100,612 in 46,735 households and a population density of 2500 persons per km². The total area of the city is . Geography Sakado is located in the geographic ...
who were Hokumen no Bushi.


Seiwa Genji

These were descendants of Emperor Seiwa. The most numerous of them were those descended from Tsunemoto, son of
Prince Sadazumi 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 ...
. Hachimantarō Yoshiie of the Kawachi Genji 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 ...
, making his a prestigious pedigree claimed by many ''buke'', particularly for the direct descendants in the Ashikaga clan (that set up the Ashikaga shogunate) 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 – 120 ...
. 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 fello ...
would claim descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Nitta clan.


Yōzei Genji

These were descendants of Emperor Yōzei. 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. The great-grandson of his firstborn Prince Koretada, Kōshō, was the ancestor of a line of '' busshi'', from which various styles of Buddhist sculpture emerged. Kōshō's grandson Kakujo established the Shichijō Bussho 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 Befor ...
. Two sons of
Prince Atsumi 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. ...
, Masanobu and Shigenobu became ''
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 in ...
''. Masanobu's children in particular flourished, forming five ''dōjō'' houses as ''
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 Kamak ...
'', and as '' buke'' the Sasaki clan 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. His son Takaakira became a ''
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 in ...
'', 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 Nippo ...
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 '' udaijin'' and had many descendants, among them several houses of ''dōjō
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 Kamak ...
''. Until the Ashikaga clan 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 ...
, 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. They became the '' dōjō''
Shirakawa family may refer to: People * Shirakawa (surname) * Emperor Shirakawa, an eleventh-century emperor of Japan Places * Shirakawa, Fukushima, a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan ** Shirakawa Domain, a feudal domain of Edo-period Japan * Shirakawa, G ...
, 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 f ...
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 ''Shint ...
.


Sanjō Genji

These were descendants of Emperor Sanjō's son
Prince Atsuakira 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 ...
. 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 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. Sukehito's son Arihito was a ''
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 in ...
''. Minamoto no Yoritomo's vassal Tashiro Nobutsuna, 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'y ...
'', was allegedly Arihito's grandson (according to the '' Genpei Jōsuiki'').


Go-Shirakawa Genji

This line consisted solely of Emperor Go-Shirakawa son Mochihito-ō (Takakura-no-Miya). As part of the succession dispute that led to the opening hostilities of 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 himse ...
, he was declassed (renamed "Minamoto no Mochimitsu") and exiled.


Juntoku Genji

These were descendants of Emperor Juntoku's sons Tadanari-ō and Prince Yoshimune. The latter's grandson Yoshinari rose to ''
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 in ...
'' 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 ...
.


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. Koreyasu-ō was installed as a puppet ''
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 Kamaku ...
'' (the seventh of 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 ...
) 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's son Prince Hisaaki (the eighth ''
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 Kamaku ...
'' of 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 ...
). 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 were made Minamoto. Hisayoshi's adopted "nephew" (actually Nijō Michihira's son) Muneaki became a ''gon-dainagon'' (acting '' dainagon'').


Ōgimachi Genji

These were non-royal descendants of Emperor Ōgimachi. At first they were '' buke'', but they later became '' dōjō-ke'', the Hirohata family.


See also

*
History of Japan The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new inve ...
*
Taira clan 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 divide ...


References


External links

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