{{Infobox Japanese clan , surname nihongo = 西園寺家 , home province =

Kyoto 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 ...

Yamashiro Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the ''Engishiki''. Yamashiro Province included Kyoto its ...

, parent house =

Northern Fujiwara The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 ''Ōshū Fujiwara-shi'') were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.

, titles =

Rokuhara Tandai was the post of the chiefs of the Kamakura shogunate in Kyoto whose agency, the , kept responsibility for security in Kinai and judicial affairs on western Japan, and negotiated with the imperial court. Despite keeping security, the Rokuhara we ...

Genrō was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa eras in Japanese history. The institution of ''genrō' ...

Kantō Mōshitsugi

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 ...

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 ...

, founder =Saionji Michisue , final ruler = , current head = , founding year =12th century , ruled until =1871 (

Abolition of the han system The in the Empire of Japan and its replacement by a system of prefectures in 1871 was the culmination of the Meiji Restoration begun in 1868, the starting year of the Meiji period. Under the reform, all daimyos (, ''daimyō'', feudal lords) ...

) The Saionji family (西園寺家, ''Saionji-ke'') was a Japanese ''

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 ...

'' (court aristocrat) family related to the

branch of the

Fujiwara clan was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until th ...

and the Imadegawa clan. The family's name was taken from that of the family's formal residence in

, and its '' kamon'' (crest) was a ''

tomoe , commonly translated as "comma", is a comma-like swirl symbol used in Japanese (roughly equivalent to a heraldic badge or charge in European heraldry). It closely resembles the usual form of a . The appears in many designs with various us ...

''.

History

The family was descended from Saionji Michisue (1090–1128), son of

Fujiwara no Kinzane 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 ...

. In the time of Michisue's great-grandson

Saionji Kintsune was a ''waka'' poet and Japanese nobleman active in the early Kamakura period. He is designated as a member of the . He was also a major contributor to the ''Shinchokusen Wakashū'' anthology. In 1222AD he was appointed as the Chancellor of th ...

(1171–1244),

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 ...

's niece was married into the Saionji family, thus giving the Kamakura ''shōguns'' of the

Minamoto clan 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 ...

some influence in, and protection from, the Imperial Court. Members of the Saionji family began to be appointed '' Kantō Mōshitsugi'', acting alongside the ''

'' to manage communications and relations between the shogunate and the Court. This began the family's rise to important Court positions, including posts as high as '' dajō-daijin'' (Chancellor of the Realm). Ever since Kintsune's time, the family, with the support of the Kamakura shogunate, could exert influence over even the Imperial regents, the

Sesshō and Kampaku In Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to act on behalf of either a child Emperor before his coming of age, or an empress regnant. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the Emperor, but was in practice the title of ...

. The family made its formal residence in the Kitayama (northern mountains) area of Kyoto; the residence was likewise called Saionji, meaning "Western Garden Temple". Thus the family came to be sometimes known as the Lords of Kitayama; when

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 ...

became ''

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 ...

'' in 1368, he co-opted the site for his

Kinkakuji , officially named , is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. It is one of the most popular buildings in Kyoto, attracting many visitors annually.Bornoff, Nicholas (2000). ''The National Geographic Traveler: Japan''. National Geographic Socie ...

, thus laying some claim to a connection to the Saionji and to their prestige as Lords of Kitayama.

Saionji Sanekane Saionji (西園寺) is a Japanese family name of former kuge descent. People with the name include: *The Saionji family, '' kuge'' family. *Prince Saionji Kinmochi, 12th and 14th Prime Minister of Japan *Empress Saionji, wife of Emperor Go-Fukakus ...

joined the family to the

Daikaku-ji is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Ukyō-ku, a western ward in the city of Kyoto, Japan. The site was originally a residence of Emperor Saga (785–842 CE), and later various emperors conducted their cloistered rule from here. The ''Saga Go-ry ...

line of the Imperial family, having become involved with the daughter of

Emperor Go-Daigo Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇 ''Go-Daigo-tennō'') (26 November 1288 – 19 September 1339) was the 96th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後醍醐天皇 (96) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order ...

Emperor Kameyama was the 90th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1260 through 1274. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was . He was t ...

and siring a son,

Saionji Kinhira Saionji (西園寺) is a Japanese family name of former kuge descent. People with the name include: *The Saionji family, '' kuge'' family. *Prince Saionji Kinmochi, 12th and 14th Prime Minister of Japan *Empress Saionji, wife of Emperor Go-Fukakus ...

. Several decades later, in the time of

Saionji Kinmune Saionji (西園寺) is a Japanese family name of former kuge descent. People with the name include: *The Saionji family, '' kuge'' family. *Prince Saionji Kinmochi, 12th and 14th Prime Minister of Japan *Empress Saionji, wife of Emperor Go-Fukakus ...

, the Kamakura shogunate came to an end, and the Saionji were dismissed from their post as ''Kantō Mōshitsugi''. Kinmune helped hide the persecuted

Hōjō Yasuie Hojo or Hōjō may refer to: Hojo or HoJo: *Howard Johnson's, a U.S. chain of restaurants and hotels *A nickname for Howard Johnson *A nickname for Howard Jones *A nickname for Howard Jones *MGR-1 Honest John, the first nuclear-capable missile ...

and, in the wake of the death of Emperor Go-Daigo, helped plot to set

Emperor Go-Fushimi was the 93rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1298 to 1301. This 13th-century sovereign was named after his father, Emperor Fushimi and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as ...

on the throne. His schemes revealed by his younger brother Saionji Kinshige, Kinmune was arrested and executed. During the

Nanboku-chō period The Nanboku-chō period (南北朝時代, ''Nanboku-chō jidai'', "North and South court period", also known as the Northern and Southern Courts period), spanning from 1336 to 1392, was a period that occurred during the formative years of the Mur ...

(1336–1392) which followed, in which the two Imperial lines jousted for power, Kinmune's son Saionji Sanetoshi served the

Northern Court The , also known as the Ashikaga Pretenders or Northern Pretenders, were a set of six pretenders to the throne of Japan during the Nanboku-chō period from 1336 through 1392. The present Imperial House of Japan is descended from the Northern Cour ...

as Minister of the Right (''

''), restoring the prestige of the family's name. A Saionji family is known to have existed in

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...

(1600–1868) Kyoto, as producers of ''

biwa The is a Japanese short-necked wooden lute traditionally used in narrative storytelling. The is a plucked string instrument that first gained popularity in China before spreading throughout East Asia, eventually reaching Japan sometime duri ...

''. Saionji Saneharu was made Minister of the Left (''

''), and gained influence and some financial support through connections to the Hosokawa and Nagaoka clans. Towards the end of the Edo period,

Saionji Kinmochi Prince was a Japanese politician and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1906 to 1908 and from 1911 to 1912. He was elevated from marquis to prince in 1920. As the last surviving member of Japan's ''genrō,'' he was the most in ...

was adopted into the family from the closely related Tokudaiji branch of the Fujiwara clan. Kinmochi lived through the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...

, becoming one of the ''

genrō was an unofficial designation given to certain retired elder Japanese statesmen who served as informal extraconstitutional advisors to the emperor, during the Meiji, Taishō, and Shōwa eras in Japanese history. The institution of ''genrō' ...

'', or elder statesmen who were a part of the original Meiji government at its beginning. He subsequently held a number of Cabinet posts, becoming

Prime Minister of Japan The prime minister of Japan (Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of Stat ...

in 1906. As members of the ''

kazoku The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan, which existed between 1869 and 1947. They succeeded the feudal lords () and court nobles (), but were abolished with the 1947 constitution. Kazoku ( 華族) should not be confused with ' ...

'' (Western-style system of

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 ...

), the Saionji maintained a considerable degree of prestige, and continued to be close to the world of politics, through the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, when the ''kazoku'' were dissolved. The family continues today, and Saionji remains now an uncommon Japanese surname.

Family members of note

* Saionji Michisue (1090–1128) *

(1171–1244) * Saionji Kinuji (1194–1269) *

Saionji Kinhira - Heart Sutra of the Divine Incantation of Amoghapasa - Google Art Project

(1264–1315) * Saionji Reishi (1292–1357) *

(1310–1335) * Saionji Kinshige * Saionji Sanetoshi * Saionji Sanemitsu (1510–1565) * Saionji Kinhiro (1537–1587), ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...

'' * Saionji Saneharu (1601–1673) *

(1849–1940, adopted in 1851), statesman *

Saionji Saneuji Saionji Saneuji (西園寺実氏 1194 – 7 July 1269) was a ''waka'' poet and Japanese nobleman active in the early Kamakura period. He is designated as a member of the . Family Parents *Father: Saionji Kintsune (西園寺公経, 1171 – 24 Oc ...

Empresses from the Saionji family

During the 13th and 14th centuries, 5 or 6 female members of the family became the

Empress of Japan The Empress of Japan is the title given to the wife of the Emperor of Japan or a female ruler in her own right. In Japanese, the empress consort is called . The current empress consort is Empress Masako, who ascended the throne with her husband o ...

. *

Saionji Kisshi Saionji Kisshi (西園寺姞子; 1225 – 20 October 1292) was an Empress consort of Japan. She was the consort of Emperor Go-Saga of Japan. She was also known as Ōmiya-in (大宮院), her imperial title (''ingō''), and as Fujiwara no Kisshi ( ...

(1225–1292) - consort 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 ...

(88th) * Saionji Kinshi/Kimiko (1232–1304) - consort 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 literall ...

(89th) *

Saionji Kishi , or more formally , was an Empress consort of Japan. She was the consort of Emperor Go-Daigo of Japan.Mori Shigeaki. Go-Daigo tennō: nanboku-chō dōran o irodotta haō (後醍醐天皇: 南北朝動乱を彩った覇王). Tokyo: Chūōkōrons ...

/Yoshiko (1252–1318) - consort of

(90th) * Saionji Shōshi (1271–1342) - consort of

Emperor Fushimi was the 92nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1287 through 1298. Name Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was . Although the ...

(92nd). She was a poet of the Kyōgoku school. *

/Sachiko (?–1333) - consort of

(96th). She was a poet of the Nijō school. * (A daughter of Saionji Kinshige?) (?–?) - presumably consort of

Emperor Chōkei was the 98th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 1368 through 1383. His personal name was Yutanari (寛成) and his regal name roughly translates to "Long Celebration". Genealogy His father was E ...

(98th). She was a poet of the Nijō school.

References

*''This article is derived primarily from the content of the corresponding article on the Japanese Wikipedia.'' *Sansom, George (1958). ''A History of Japan to 1334''. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp405-6ff. *Sansom, George (1961). ''A History of Japan: 1334–1615''. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. Kuge Kazoku Japanese merchants