平安貴族の黄金時代の源流：中臣氏から藤原氏へOrigins of Heian Aristocracy's Golden Age

In the Heian period, as exemplified by Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji (源氏物語), we find a clear depiction of the aristocracy, marking the only era in Japanese history when nobles fully grasped political power. Understanding this rise and fall of aristocratic rule is essential, as it directly paved the way for the emergence of the samurai class.

So how exactly did the aristocracy come to prominence?

Similar to the rise of the samurai, the aristocracy’s ascent was not sudden but rooted deeply in historical movements dating back to ancient times. And crucially, the noble rise began from a single lineage—the Fujiwara clan (藤原氏).

Historically, from the Asuka period (592-710) through the Nara period (710-794), the Fujiwara clan rose rapidly as nobles deeply connected to the imperial family. Though the transition from ancient Japanese clans (氏族) to aristocracy can be difficult without familiarity, it is essential first to recognize that the Fujiwara clan originally descended from an ancient clan called the Nakatomi (中臣氏). Please keep in mind this key point, that the Nakatomi clan and Fujiwara clan belong to the same lineage. The Nakatomi were a prominent family rooted in mythological times, historically close to the imperial family, particularly entrusted with rituals for the emperor.

The ancestral deity of the Nakatomi clan is Amenokoyane (天児屋命). Amenokoyane appears in Japan’s earliest chronicles, the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, prominently featuring in the myth called “Ama-no-Iwato-gakure” (天岩戸隠れ), which involves the supreme deity Amaterasu (天照大御神), the ancestral deity of the imperial family. In this myth, Amenokoyane conducted critical rituals when Amaterasu secluded herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness, to persuade her to emerge. It is essential to note that while Amaterasu is commonly associated as a solar deity (“symbol of the sun”) in Japan, this interpretation, although prevalent, is not entirely accurate. Amaterasu indeed embodies multiple layers of belief, and her explicit identification as a sun deity occurred much later. At the time, such a singular interpretation did not exist.

Following this mythological era, the Nakatomi clan became intricately connected with the imperial lineage descended directly from Amaterasu, playing significant political roles within the imperial court. However, with the dramatic introduction of Buddhism—a topic frequently discussed in Shitsurae—the political landscape shifted significantly due to the emergence of the Soga clan (蘇我氏), a newly powerful family closely tied to people who had crossed from the continent and the Korean peninsula. The introduction of Buddhism divided Japan’s leading clans sharply into two factions: the anti-Buddhist (排仏派) and pro-Buddhist (崇仏派). The leading anti-Buddhist family was the Mononobe clan (物部氏), a family with ancient roots foundational to Shinto, and it is understood that the Nakatomi clan effectively aligned themselves with this faction.

Initially, both factions fiercely debated before the emperor over accepting or rejecting Buddhism. Eventually, however, seizing an opportune moment, the Soga clan leveraged both Buddhist adoption and imperial succession disputes to launch an assault against the Mononobe clan’s stronghold, killing their head, Mononobe no Moriya (物部守屋), dramatically altering the course of history. This event is known as the Battle of Teibi (丁未の乱, 552-587). Previously, power within the imperial court was predominantly held by three Shinto-oriented families—the Mononobe, Nakatomi, and Otomo (大伴氏)—who wielded significant influence over the emperor. But before this battle, internal power struggles had emerged due to shifting conditions on the Korean Peninsula, notably causing the Otomo clan’s fall from grace due to bribery scandals involving Korean affairs.

Having successfully ousted the powerful Otomo clan and seized control, the Mononobe clan themselves were subsequently annihilated by the Soga, who rode the spread of Buddhism. With the eradication of the anti-Buddhist faction, the Nakatomi clan also experienced a significant decline in influence. Meanwhile, Soga no Umako (蘇我馬子, 551-626), head of the Soga clan, enjoyed remarkable longevity, maintaining effective dictatorship over the imperial court for an astonishing fifty-four years. Naturally, Buddhism rapidly proliferated during his rule.

Yet, significant discontent simmered among surviving members of the defeated Mononobe clan towards the Soga dominance.

Soga no Umako, wielding authority surpassing even that of the emperor, notably assassinated Emperor Sushun (崇峻天皇, reign: 587-592) swiftly after sensing discontent, the only historical assassination of a reigning emperor in Japan. Because Soga no Umako immediately suppressed any suspicious activity, organizing a coup against him proved impossible during his lifetime. Thus, opponents carefully bided their time, quietly plotting the Soga clan’s eventual overthrow. Intriguingly, such movements became explicit immediately following the death of Soga no Umako.

After Soga no Umako’s death in 626, his authority passed to his son, Soga no Emishi (蘇我蝦夷, 586–645), and subsequently to Emishi’s son, Soga no Iruka (蘇我入鹿, ?–645). However, compared to Umako’s exceptional and charismatic political skills, Emishi and Iruka were significantly inferior, leading to an erosion of the Soga clan’s authority and resulting in gradual chaos. Observing these signs of the Soga clan’s decline, a movement aiming to establish a new political order began to take shape near the clan’s own headquarters.

So, where exactly did the secret meetings for this coup take place? Tradition holds that they were held deep within today’s Tanzan Shrine (談山神社). Geographically, this is particularly intriguing: the Soga clan’s stronghold was located in the Asuka region in southern Nara Prefecture, while Tanzan Shrine lies to the southeast of Asuka in a mountainous area known as Tonomine (多武峰). Thus, not far from the Soga heartland, secret meetings actively plotted the overthrow of the Soga clan. Efforts to defeat the Soga and restore political power directly to the emperor bear a striking resemblance to the Meiji Restoration, which aimed to return authority from the Ashikaga and Tokugawa shogunate back to imperial hands centuries later. Seen in this context, history does indeed seem to repeat itself.

Two key figures gathered at Tanzan Shrine for these crucial meetings. The first was Prince Naka-no-Oe (中大兄皇子, 626–672), who later ascended the throne as Emperor Tenji (天智天皇). The second was Nakatomi no Kamatari (中臣鎌足, 614–669), a descendant of the ancient Nakatomi clan. Thus, an alliance formed between the imperial lineage and the Nakatomi descendants sought to reclaim power from the Soga clan. This alliance led to the historical coup known as the Taika Reform (大化の改新) of 645. In the course of this coup, Soga no Iruka was assassinated, prompting his father, Soga no Emishi, to commit suicide by setting fire to his residence the next day. Complex political dynamics were at play here, as certain factions within the Soga clan itself, displeased with the leadership of Umako, Emishi, and Iruka, secretly collaborated with Prince Naka-no-Oe and Nakatomi no Kamatari.

As a result, the main branch of the Soga clan was eliminated from political influence. At this time, Soga no Emishi deliberately burned down the Soga archives and libraries to erase evidence, causing significant confusion in later generations, eventually influencing the creation of the Kojiki.

Although the coup orchestrated by Prince Naka-no-Oe and Nakatomi no Kamatari was successful, southern Nara Prefecture was home to many people who had come from the continent and the Korean peninsula. Mindful of how they might respond, Prince Naka-no-Oe (Emperor Tenji) chose not to ascend immediately but instead installed another emperor as a puppet ruler while effectively controlling power behind the scenes. Nonetheless, from the Taika Reform onward, this period can essentially be viewed as Emperor Tenji’s era. Nakatomi no Kamatari was recognized for his pivotal role and became Emperor Tenji’s closest confidant.

Significantly, just before Nakatomi no Kamatari’s death, the clan name was officially changed from “Nakatomi” to “Fujiwara,” marking the birth of the Fujiwara clan (藤原氏), with Kamatari becoming Fujiwara no Kamatari (藤原鎌足). At the time of Kamatari’s death, his second son was merely 11 years old. Moreover, turbulent times continued: during Emperor Tenji’s reign, the Japanese suffered a disastrous defeat in a war involving the Korean Peninsula against the combined forces of Tang China and Silla. Following Emperor Tenji’s death, further chaos ensued due to another coup in 672. This coup led to Emperor Tenmu (天武天皇) ascending the throne. Because Kamatari’s son was only 14 years old at the time, Emperor Tenmu refrained from punishing him directly, though he took measures to eliminate the Fujiwara (formerly Nakatomi) clan from political influence. Having lost family support, the young Fujiwara had no choice but to start his career as a minor official.

Yet, no one could have imagined at the time that this young man possessed political talent comparable to that of Soga no Umako, destined to later establish the Fujiwara clan’s golden age and become an indispensable figure in Japanese history.

This remarkable figure was Fujiwara no Fuhito (藤原不比等, 659–720). Fuhito eventually gained absolute control of the imperial court, skillfully managing political affairs and winning the favor of emperors. His four sons (the Fujiwara Shishi, 藤原四子) strategically dispersed their influence, laying the foundation for the Fujiwara clan’s golden era.