Nakatomi Clan (中臣氏)
The Nakatomi clan, together with the Inbe clan, was a powerful family serving the Yamato court in ancient Japan, who took charge of Shinto rituals and religious services, and had occupied the region Yamashina -approximately corresponding to today's Nakatomi-cho, Yamashina Ward, Kyoto City - as their base through the ages. The family was descended from Amenokoyane. Their kabane (hereditary title) was Muraji (one of the highest family names).
As well as the Mononobe clan, the Nakatomi clan came into conflict with the Soga clan over the acceptance of Buddhism. NAKATOMI no Kamatari played an important role in the Taika Reforms in 645 and was given Fujiwara cognomen upon his death in 669. The descendants of Kamatari declared themselves the Fujiwara clan while the original line continued to use the name of Nakatomi and maintained their hereditary position of Shinto rituals and religious services providers such as Jingikan (department of worship) and a Shinto priest of Ise-jingu Shrine for generations.