Fujiwara Kyoke (the Capital House of the Fujiwara clan) (藤原京家)
Fujiwara Kyoke is a sub branch of Fujiwara family, started by FUJIWARA no Maro, the forth son of Udaijin (Minister of the Right) FUJIWARA no Fuhito. Kyoke is one of Fujiwara four families.
Summary
The name of Kyoke originated from the fact that Maro was appointed as Sakyo no daibu (Master of the Eastern Capital Offices). Kyoke was the least prosperous among the Fujiwara four families. The reason is that Maro was the youngest of Fujiwara four brothers and had less number of children (and many of them suffered of premature death), as well as that FUJIWARA no Hamanari, the only person in Kyoke to be appointed to sangi (councilor), was exiled because of his implication in HIKAMI no Kawatsugu's War, which put an end to the political life of the Kyoke family.
During the Heian period, Kyoke produced many talents in culture and art: FUJIWARA no Sadatoshi (biwa, Japanese lute), FUJIWARA no Fuyuo (Confucianism), FUJIWARA no Okikaze (waka, Japanese poetry), and FUJIWARA no Tadafusa (waka and bugaku, or Japanese court dance and music) among others. Particularly, Fuyuo was promoted to be Dainagon (chief councilor of state), partly due to his longevity. Since Imperial Prince Nakano, son of FUJIWARA no Kawako who was a consort of Emperor Kanmu, became a maternal grandfather of Emperor Uda, family lineage of Fujiwara Kyoke is still inherited to present.
In the later period, Naoe clan of the Echigo Province calls themselves as the descendants of Kyoke.
Family
FUJIWARA no Hamanari: The second son of Maro.
FUJIWARA no Momoyoshi: A daughter of Maro. She was a court lady in the late Nara period. She was a wife of FUJIWARA no Toyonari who was Udaijin. Promoted to Junii (junior second rank) of Naishi no tsukasa (female palace attendants).
FUJIWARA no Tsuguhiko: A child of Hamanari.
FUJIWARA no Sadatoshi: A child of Tsuguhiko. He was good at biwa (Japanese lute).
FUJIWARA no Kawako: A grandchild of Hamanari. She was kyujin (court lady) of Emperor Kanmu and mother of Imperial Prince Nakano.
FUJIWARA no Fuyuo: A grandchild of Hamanari. He was promoted to Shosanmi (senior third rank) of Dainagon. Also a well-known Confucian scholar.
FUJIWARA no Okikaze: A prominent waka poet in the mid Heian period, representing the period in which "Kokin Wakashu" (A Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry) was compiled.
FUJIWARA no Tadafusa: A bugaku (Japanese court dance and music) performer. He was a representative of Komagaku (the court music of Japan introduced from Korea). Also a well-known waka poet.
Gengo: A grandchild of FUJIWARA no Sadatoshi. He was a priest of Enmeiin (the hospital for the Fujiwara clan). An expert of both Ono and Hirosawa schools of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.