Otomo no Tomokuni (大伴友国)
OTOMO no Tomokuni
(year of birth unknown - Mar or April, 692) lived in the Asuka period in Japan. His hereditary title was Muraji (second highest title under Yamato dynasty), later promoted to Sukune (third highest of the eight hereditary titles).
In old Japanese syllabary characters, his name was pronounced as "OHOTOMO no Tomokuni"
He fought under Prince Osama (Emperor Tenmu) during the Jinshin war in 672.
OTOMO no Tomokuni was a toneri (palace servant) serving Prince Oama when the Jinshin War started. He was one of more than twenty men who followed Prince Oama when he left Yoshino to take arms. No records were kept of his other acts.
According to "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), after the war on December 4, 672, many were selected for their acts of valor, and were awarded a kan-i rank(literary translated, it means "crown rank"; it was a rank awarded based on ability regardless of name and birth) of shosen(one of the rank levels) or higher. Therefore, OTOMO no Tomokuni was awarded the same or higher rank.
On Apr 2, 692, the Empress Jito awarded the rank of jikidaini (the eleventh grade of jikidai rank for vassals of the forty-eight grades of kan-i rank) and hafurimono (a gift at a funeral ceremony) to OTOMO no Tomokuni. It is believed that he died that day, or just before.