Fujitani Nariakira (富士谷成章)
Nariakira FUJITANI (1738 - November 9, 1779) was a scholar of Japanese classical literature in the mid Edo period. He was the second son of Nariyoshi MINAGAWA (Shundo) and was a younger brother of Kien MINAGAWA, Confucian. He became an adopted child of the Fujitani family, Kyoto Rusui-yaku officer of the Yanagawa Domain. His common name was Senemon. His Azana (adult males nickname) was Chutatsu. His Go (pseudonym) was Kansho (咸章) and Hokuhen. He was born in Kyoto. His children included Mitsue FUJITANI.
He learned Sinology under his older brother, Kien MINAGAWA and Waka (a traditional Japanese poem of thirty-one syllables) under Imperial Prince Arisugawanomiya Yorihito. As a Japanese scholar, he left behind great achievements in periodization, classification of parts of speech of Japanese Language and so on. More especially, his books, 'Rikuun Ryakuzu' and 'Hokuhen Nanatai Nanahyakushu' explaining the history of Waka were praised by Norinaga MOTOORI, a scholar of Japanese classical literature. Furthermore, his language books, 'Kazashisho' and 'Ayuisho' are epoch-making achievements in the study of parts of speech.
His collection of Waka includes 'Hokuhen Seishokashu' and his collection of poems 'Ginkosha Shiko.'