Nakanoin Michikata (中院通方)
Michikata NAKANOIN (1189 - February 3, 1239) was a Court noble, an authority of ancient practice of customs and a poet who lived during the early Kamakura period. He was the son of MINAMOTO no Michichika, and his mother was FUJIWARA no Norikane's daughter, Noriko. He is considered to have been the founder of the Nakanoin family. He is also known as Michikata TSUCHIMIKADO.
Career
He was conferred to the Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) at the age of six, and the next year, he was given Inaba Province which was once his father's chigyo-koku (provincial fiefdom). In 1211, he became Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain), and the next year, he ranked as one of the Court nobles. Thereafter, although he held various posts such as Sangi (councilor), Kebiishi no betto (Superintendent of the Imperial Police) and Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), he was obliged to put a rein on his own behavior due to a punishment on suspension given after the Jokyu War. After the War, he became a guardian for his older sister, Shomeimonin, and her grandson, Prince Kunihito (Emperor Tsuchimikado's son, and later Emperor Gosaga).
In 1227, he became Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), and two years after that, he was promoted to Dainagon (chief councilor of state). During that period, he wrote "Kazarisho" (record of costume and lore), a book about Yushoku kojitsu (court and samurai rules of ceremony and etiquette) such as dress code in the events and rituals in the Imperial Court. As a poet, 10 of his poems were included in "Shin chokusen wakashu" (A new anthology of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) and other anthologies. Although he was promoted to Dainagon in 1238, he fell ill shortly after that and finished his 50-year life at the end of the old calendar year 1238 (equivalent to January 1239 according to the new calendar).