was a Japanese court noble, military leader and poet. He is known for his military campaign against the Hayato Rebellion and as the father of Ōtomo no Yakamochi, who contributed to the compilation of the ''

Man'yōshū The is the oldest extant collection of Japanese (poetry in Classical Japanese), compiled sometime after AD 759 during the Nara period. The anthology is one of the most revered of Japan's poetic compilations. The compiler, or the last in ...

'' alongside his father. He served as

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 ...

and held the court rank of

Junior Second Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese language, Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the Nation, state. ''Ikai'' as a system was the indication of the rank of burea ...

Life

Ōtomo was born in 665, the son of

Ōtomo no Yasumaro. His mother was Iratsume, the daughter of Kose no Hito. During

Empress Genmei , also known as Empress Genmyō, was the 43rd monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 元明天皇 (43) retrieved August 22, 2013. according to the traditional order of succession. Genmei's reign spanned the years 707 through ...

's New Year's Day celebration of 710, he led the cavalry, Hayato, Emishi, and others as the

Shogun , officially , was the title of the military aristocracy, rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor of Japan, Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, exc ...

of the Left with his deputy, Hozumi no Oyu, in a march along the Suzaku Avenue. In 711, he was given the court rank of Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and in 715, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade, Minister of the Center. In 718, he was promoted to Chūnagon, and in 719, he was promoted Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade. In 720, when the Hayato Rebellion erupted in

Kyushu is the third-largest island of Japan's Japanese archipelago, four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa Island, Okinawa and the other Ryukyu Islands, Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Ryukyu Islands, Islands ...

after the assassination of Governor of

Ōsumi Province was a province of Japan in the area of southeastern Kyūshū, corresponding to the eastern half of modern Kagoshima Prefecture, and including the Ōsumi Islands . Ōsumi bordered on Hyūga to the northeast, and Satsuma Province to the nor ...

Yako no Maro, Ōtomo was ordered to lead Japanese forces to suppress the rebellion. After the death of Minister of the Right Fujiwara no Fuhito, Ōtomo received an imperial edict to return to

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

. However, since the Hayato had not yet been pacified, the deputy shogun and his men were ordered to continue garrisoning the area. As a result, southern Kyushu was firmly brought under the control of the Imperial court under

. In 721, he was promoted to Junior Third Rank, and in 724, he was promoted to Senior Third Rank upon the accession to the throne of

Emperor Shōmu was the 45th Emperor of Japan, emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, duri ...

. Around 728, Ōtomo was transferred to Dazaifu with his wife, Ōtomo no Iratsume, as Governor of Dazaifu, the second time he was sent to Kyushu after his 60th birthday, and this appointment could have been a strategic demotion by the four Fujiwara brothers, Muchimaro, Fusasaki, Umakai and Maro, to oust

Prince Nagaya Nagaya ( ') (684 – 20 March 729) was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi (grandson of Emperor Tenmu). His father was Prince Takechi and his mother Princess Minabe (a daughter of Emperor ...

, the Minister of the Left in power at the time. However, it has also been theorized that Ōtomo was transferred because of his excellent skills in diplomacy and defense in light of the international situation at the time. In Dazaifu, he compiled the ''Chikushi Kadan'' of the ''

'' with Yamanoue no Okura and Sami Mansei. After arriving in Dazaifu, his wife died. In 730, he was appointed Dainagon. Tabito was a contemporary of Hitomaro, but lacked his success in the Imperial Court. While serving as Governor-General of Dazaifu, the military procuracy in northern Kyushu from 728-730, Tabito hosted a plum-blossom party, encouraging the composition of poetry among his subordinates in imitation of Chinese style elegance. He also showed his Chinese education in his set of thirteen '' tanka'' in praise of

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

References

Japanese poets 660s births 731 deaths Place of birth unknown Date of death unknown Place of death unknown Date of birth unknown Man'yō poets {{Japan-writer-stub