The house of minister (大臣家)
The house of minister was one of the kakaku (family status) of kuge (court noble) and it was kakaku after Sekke (line of regents and advisers) and the Seiga family (one of the highest court noble families in Japan at that time). One was promoted following the Seiga family (however, he was promoted to Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) after Sangi, which was not appointed to a member of Sekke and the Seiga family). When there was a vacancy for Daijin (Minister) a member of the house of minister was promoted to Naidaijin (Minister of the Center) directly from Dainagon (chief councilor of state) without serving as Konoe no daisho (Major Captain of the Palace Guards) (unlike the Seiga family, he could not serve as Konoe no daisho at the same time). Kyokkan (the highest rank appointed) was Daijo-daijin (Grand Minister) (however, Daijo-daijin during the Edo Period was limited to those who experienced Sessho (regent) or Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor). As rare cases there were only a few examples of promotion to Udaijin (Minister of the Right) (Saneeda SANJONISHI and Michimi NAKANOIN) and actually there were few examples where a member of the house of minister was promoted to the higher position than Naidaijin. After the Meiji Restoration, the house of minister became count, but the Saga family (the Ogimachisanjo family) later became marquisr.
The houses of the minister included the following three families.
The Ogimachisanjo family: branch of the Sanjo family in the Kanin line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan. The founder was Kinuji OGIMACHISANJO who was a child of Sanefusa SANJO. After the Meiji Restoration, its name was changed to the Saga family. Old family. Family business was Yusoku kojitsu (usages or practices of the court or military households).
The Sanjonishi family: the Ogimachisanjo line of Kanin line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan. The founder was Kintoki SANJONISHI who was the child of Sanetsugu OGIMACHISANJO. Old family. Family business was kodo (traditional incense-smelling ceremony), waka poetry, Yusoku kojitsu (usages or practices of the court or military households).
The Nakanoin Family: the same founder of Murakami-Genji (Minamoto clan) Koga family. The founder was Michikata NAKANOIN who was the child of Michichika KOGA. Old family. Family business was Yusoku kojitsu (usages or practices of the court or military households).