Koga Michikata (久我通堅)
Michikata KOGA (1541 - May 25, 1575) was a Kugyo (top court official) during the late Muromachi period. He served mainly two emperors, Emperor Gonara (105th) and Emperor Ogimachi (106th), and his highest official rank was Shonii Dainagon (Senior Second Rank, chief councilor of state). His father was Haremichi KOGA, who was Shonii Gon Dainagon (Senior Second Rank, provisional chief councilor of state). His mother was MINAMOTO no Nobumitsu, who was Jusanmi Daizensiki (Junior Third Rank of the Office of the Palace Table). Tomotaka IWAKURA, who was Shogoi Mokuryo (Senior Fifth Rank of Bureau of Carpentry), was his brother. He had sons and daughters, including Atsumichi KOGA and the lawful wife of Arihiro ROKUJO. He was first named Michioki KOGA and Michitoshi KOGA.
He was conferred peerage in 1542, and ranked with jiju (a chamberlain). He successively served at Bizen Province, Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards), Bizen Province, Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), and the like, and became Genji choja (chief of the Minamoto clan) in 1556. In 1557, he was appointed Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state). In 1558, he was appointed Ukone no daisho (Major Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards). In 1560, he was conferred Shonii (Senior Second Rank), but soon thereafter punished by Imperial ordinance, and demoted to Junii (Junior Second Rank) in 1565 and, furthermore, dismissed in 1568. He left Kyoto and lived in retirement at Sakai City, Izumi Province and died there. Died at 35.
Thereafter, the position of "Genji choja" was seized for political reasons by the Tokugawa clan, whose origin was questionable to leave a doubt as to whether the Tokugawa clan was truly descended from the Minamoto clan, and "Genji choja" was not returned to the legitimate successor Koga family since then until the Meiji Restoration.
Thus it may be said that Michikata was the last 'legitimate Genji choja.'