Fujiwara Family Tree
The Fujiwara clan began when Nakatomi no Kamatari received the clan name (uji) "Fujiwara" from Emperor Tenji.
The four sons of Kamatari's son Fuhito each founded a house: the Nanke (Southern House), Hokke (Northern House), Shikike (Ceremonial House), and Kyōke (Capital House). Of these, the Hokke monopolized the posts of Regent and Kampaku and flourished greatly.
Many poets from the Fujiwara clan were chosen for the Hyakunin Isshu. By following the family tree, you can see which family lines the poets belonged to, and where they stood in the court society of the Heian period.
Choose a house with the buttons below to show only the people of that house. Choose a period with the slider to show only the people who were alive during that period.
For people whose year of birth is unknown, we assume they lived for at least 20 years, based on the years they appear in records or the year they died. People whose years of birth and death are both completely unknown are shown in pale colors only when they connect to descendants, when you filter by period.
Showing the main figures from Fujiwara no Kamatari to the Five Regent Houses of the Kamakura period.
* You can drag the tree to move it. Hover over a name to see information about that person.
Trivia
What Are "Shi," "Kakei," "Ryū," "Ie," and "Kamei"?
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- Shi (clan):
- A large group of relatives based on blood ties. The Fujiwara clan is the clan descended from Nakatomi no Kamatari.
From the sons of Fujiwara no Fuhito, it split into four family lines: the Nanke, Hokke, Shikike, and Kyōke.
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- Kakei (family line):
- A line of blood descent that continues from one person to their descendants.
For example, the Fujiwara Hokke is the family line that continues from Fujiwara no Fusasaki, a son of Fujiwara no Fuhito. From its descendants came still more lines (ryū) and families (ie).
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- Ryū (line):
- A line that branched off from a certain ancestor.
For example, the line that continues from Fujiwara no Kinsue of the Fujiwara Hokke is called the Kan'in line. From its descendants, the Sanjō, Saionji, Tokudaiji, and other families branched off.
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- Ie (family):
- A family of court nobles that handed down its family name, family rank, and so on from generation to generation.
For example, Fujiwara no Toshinari and Fujiwara no Sadaie belong to the Mikohidari family, which continues from Fujiwara no Nagaie. Toshinari and Sadaie of the Hyakunin Isshu are the poets who best represent this family.
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- Kamei (family name):
- Court nobles used names that came from where they lived, their mansions, temples, and so on, such as Konoe, Ichijō, Sanjō, Saionji, and Tokudaiji.
So even though they were all Fujiwara, they were called "Tokudaiji ○○" or "Saionji ○○" rather than "Fujiwara ○○."
For example, Saionji Kintsune fits in like this:
- Fujiwara clan (shi, clan)
- Hokke (kakei, family line)
- Kan'in line (ryū, line)
- Saionji family (kamei, family name)
- Saionji Kintsune (the person)
Saionji Kintsune is known in the Hyakunin Isshu by the name "Lay Novice and former Chancellor of the Realm," and he belongs to the Saionji family of the Kan'in line of the Fujiwara Hokke.
In this way, the large Fujiwara clan split into many family lines, lines, and families.
Also, when a clan name is used, "no" goes between the clan name and the given name, as in "藤原定家" (Fujiwara no Sadaie).
When a family name is used, however, there is no "no" between the family name and the given name, as in "西園寺公経" (Saionji Kintsune).
This is because "Fujiwara" is not a family name but the name of a clan (uji).
Note that "family name" (kamei) and "surname" (myōji) can overlap depending on the period and context.
On this page, "family name" is used mainly to mean the family line of court nobles.