Online dictionary of history and traditions in Japan: famous person

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Otomo no Yakamochi

大伴家持 家持
alternative words: Otomono Yakamochi, Ootomo no Yakamochi, Otomo Yakamochi, Yakamochi
keywords: artist , famous person , poesy , statesman , writer
related topics: Nara period , Manyoshu , Waka , Kokushi
related web sites: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~sg2h-ymst/ , http://www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~takata/hokuriku/manyouyukari/manyou.yakamochi.htm
explanation: Waka poet and statesman of Nara period, born as a son of the prestigious Otomo family around 618. During his stay as provincial governor (Kokushi) in different regions, he made many waka poems. In 682, due to a putsch of Hikami no Kawatsugi, he lost job but soon pardoned and became a minister (Chunagon). After his death in 785, he lost again his honor due to an assassination of Fujiwara no Tanetsugu. Yakamochi is well known as one of the major contributors of Manyo anthology.

Prince Shotoku

聖徳太子
alternative words: Prince Shotokutaishi, Shotokutaishi, Shotoku taishi, Shoutokutaishi, Shoutoku taishi, Umayadonooji, Umayado no oji
keywords: china , famous person , statesman
related topics: Asuka period , Buddhism , Empress Suiko , 17 article constitution
related web sites: http://www4.justnet.ne.jp/~takeuchi_toshinori/tv_taisi.htm , http://www.tk.airnet.ne.jp/ponta/history/hist03.html , http://www.hikyaku.com/gallery/english/horyuji.htm
explanation: Born as a son of Emperor Yomei in 574, Prince Shotoku, sometimes called also Prince Umayado is the main politician of Asuka era. Once became the crown prince, he carried out a policy based upon Buddhism as the regent of Empress Suiko. In 604, he legislated the Constitution with 17 articles, the oldest written law of Japan. In 607 he sent a Japanese delegation headed by Ono no Imoko to China. He died in 622. His effigy appeared on the old bank notes of 10,000 yens and 5,000 yens.

Prince Yamatotakeru

日本武尊 倭建命 倭武尊
alternative words: Yamatotakeru no mikoto, Yamatotakeru, Yamato takeru
keywords: famous person
related topics: Kofun period , Ezo , Kojiki , Nihonshoki , Yamato dynasty
related web sites: http://www.atsutajingu.or.jp , http://www2.begin.or.jp/sakura/miya04.htm , http://www2.plala.or.jp/cygnus/s4.html
explanation: A legendary Yamato prince in Kofun period. According to the ancient history books, he would have been sent by his father, Emperor Keiko, to the south Kyushu to subjugate Kumasho then to the eastern Japan to subjugate Ezo. During the second trip, he lost his wife "Princess Ototachibana" who sacrificed herself to save the prince's ship. Though his existence may be a subject of discussion, there is no doubt that Yamato dynasty had been busy to extend its territory around 4th century.

Putiatin

プチャーチン
alternative words: Evfimii Putiatin, Evfimi Vasilievich Putiatin, Putyatin, Eufimij Putyatin
keywords: famous person , foreigner , military man , northern territory , russia
related topics: Edo shogunate , Commodore Perry , Sakoku , Shimoda treaty
related web sites: http://www.namahage.ne.jp/ebina/heda.htm , http://www.wbs.ne.jp/cmt/kankou/themapark/hakubutu/zusyu/zusyu.htm , http://www.izu.co.jp/~p-boo/russia.html
explanation: Russian admiral, born in 1803. After Americans had sent Perry to Japan to get access harbors, Putiatin arrived in Nagasaki in August 1853, accompanied by a writer, Goncharov. After a refusal of Edo shogunate to open harbors, he left Japan, then returned back in 1854 to Shimoda where Americans settled the first consulate. After a difficult negotiation with Kawaji Toshiakira, because his ship was wrecked by an earthquake, Shimoda treaty was concluded in February 1855. He died in 1883.

Rennyo

蓮如 蓮如上人
alternative words: Saint Rennyo, St Rennyo
keywords: buddhism , famous person , priest
related topics: Muromachi period , Kamakura period , Jodo shin sect , Buddhism
related web sites: http://rennyo.tomato.nu , http://www.hongwanji.or.jp , http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/tokuten/rennyo/ren1j.htm
explanation: Priest of Muromachi period. When he was born in 1415, Jodoshinshu sect, founded by his ancestor, Shinran during Kamakura period, being declined, he strove to restore its ancient power in Shiga prefecture. Unhappy with his activity, Enryakuji temple chased him to Fukui prefecture at Yoshizaki. There, his sect became very popular because he taught the doctrine by using "Gobunsho" written in plain words. He restored then Honganji at Yamashina in Kyoto. He died in 1499.

Rezanov

レザノフ
alternative words: Nikolai Petrovich Rezanov
keywords: famous person , foreigner , military man , northern territory
related topics: Ezochi , Laxman , Sakoku
related web sites: http://www3.justnet.ne.jp/~iso-be/sub1.htm , http://www.hi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/tosho/rez.html
explanation: Russian nobility and a director of Russian American company, born in 1764. As special envoy of Tsar Alexander I, he came to Japan to settle a trading relationship in 1804. After several months of waiting and negotiation in Nagasaki, Japanese refused finally to grant a trading relationship. Frustrated, he ordered secretly his retainer, Chvostoff to attack Japanese trading posts on Etorofu and Sakhalin islands in 1806. He died in Siberia during a return trip to St Petersburg due to a fever in 1807.

Saicho

最澄
alternative words: Saichou
keywords: buddhism , china , famous person , priest
related topics: Tendai sect , Heian period , Buddhism , Esoteric Buddhism , Kukai
related web sites: http://www.hieizan.or.jp
explanation: Born in 767 in Shiga prefecture. He studied Buddhism from the age 12 in different temples in Kinki region. In 804, he went to China with Kukai to study a new Buddhism trend and was authorized to found Tendai sect. He didn't hesitate to learn from Shingon sect of Kukai and severely criticize traditional Buddhism. During his life, his doctrine had not become popular but most of the new Buddhism sects of Kamakura period originated from his sect. He died in 822.

Saigo Takamori

西郷隆盛
alternative words: Takamori Saigo, Saigou Takamori, Takamori Saigou
keywords: famous person , meiji revolution , military man , statesman
related topics: Edo shogunate , Meiji revolution , Meiji period , Satsuma domain , Katsu Kaishu , Okubo Toshimichi , Seinan war
related web sites: http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/ytsubu/ , http://reimeikan.pref.kagoshima.jp
explanation: One of the leaders of Meiji Revolution. Born in a modest family of samurai in 1827 at Kagoshima. Recognized by seignior Shimazu Nariakira, he got a post of responsibility. After the death of Nariakira, he committed a suicide but miraculously survived. Nevertheless he was sentenced to a banishment because of his pro western opinion. Later he greatly contributed to the fall of Edo shogunate in 1868. In 1877, he organized a samurai's revolt in Kyushu but killed himself after the defeat.

Saionji Kinmochi

西園寺公望
alternative words: Kinmochi Saionji
keywords: famous person , meiji revolution , statesman
related topics: Meiji revolution , Boshin war , Edo shogunate , Genro
related web sites: http://ww1.m78.com/hito/saionji.html , http://www.bun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~knagai/works/saionji.htm
explanation: Born in 1849 as son of an aristocrat, Tokudaiji Kinito and adopted by Saionji family. Unhappy with the conservatism of Kyoto's nobility, he engaged in Boshin war against Edo shogunate. In 1871, he went to study the law in France and founded Meiji university in his return. Recognized by Ito Hirobumi during his trip in Europe, he became his education minister. In 1903, the president of a political party, Seiyukai. Japanese chief delegate at Versailles conference in 1919. He died in 1940 as the last Genro.

Sakamoto Ryoma

坂本龍馬
alternative words: Ryoma Sakamoto, Sakamoto Ryouma, Ryouma Sakamoto, Sakamoto Ryuma, Ryuma Sakamoto
keywords: famous person , meiji revolution
related topics: Bakumatsu , Edo shogunate , Meiji revolution , Katsu Kaishu , Tosa domain
related web sites: http://www2.net-kochi.gr.jp/~kenbunka/ryoma/ , http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~jp3t-tris/tk_ryoma.html , http://www02.so-net.ne.jp/~ryoma/ , http://www.city.kochi.kochi.jp/ryoma/yukari.htm , http://www2.inforyoma.or.jp/~kaien/
explanation: One of the leaders of Meiji Revolution. Born in 1835 in a samurai family of Tosa domain. He began to learn swordsmanship at Tokyo but quickly changed his preference to "navigation technique" thanks to an influence of a prowestern samurai, Katsu Kaishu. Then he greatly contributed not only to build modern merchant and military fleets in different regions of Japan but to unify divers prowestern movements. Unfortunately he was assassinated in 1867 at Kyoto without seeing the reward.

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