Onakatomi no Yoshinobu (大中臣能宣)
ONAKATOMI no Yoshinobu (921 - August 991) was a poet in the mid-Heian period. His father was ONAKATOMI no Yorimoto. ONAKATOMI no Sukechika was his son and ISE no Taifu (Osuke) his grandson. He was regarded as one of the 36 Immortal Poets.
Coming from a family of Jingikan (the Council of Shinto rituals) officers, he became a Jingitaifu (Deputy Director of the Council) with Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), serving as the Saishu (Officer of the Grand Shrines of Ise). Elected as one of the Five Men of the Pear Chamber in 951, he joined the Wakadokoro (the Office of Compilers of Poems). He studied the "Manyoshu" (the Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) and compiled the "Gosen Wakashu" (Later Collection of Poetry). He submitted his verses on the occasion of Daijoe (the Ceremony of Imperial Accession) for Emperors Reizei and Enyu and his private anthology was asked for by Emperors Enyu and Kazan. He played an active role in poetry contests, composed byobu-uta (poems on themes depicted on folding screens). He often visited the two generations of the Saigu (Consecrated Princess of Ise), Princess Kishi and Imperial Princess Kishi.
His verses were selected for the imperial anthologies from the "Shui Wakashu" (the Collection of Gleanings) onwards. He also compiled the private anthology, "Yoshinobushu" (the Selected Verses of Yoshinobu).
The following verse in the Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets) is attributed to Yoshinobu: 'Just as a fire made by imperial guards flares up at night but is quenched by day, my love for you blazes up at night and torments me by day.'
However, it has been widely accepted that he is not the author.