Onakatomi clan (大中臣氏)
The Onakatomi clan was a noble family that led religious services at the central government in ancient Japan.
After FUJIWARA no Kamatari was granted the kabane (hereditary title) Fujiwara, his son FUJIWARA no Fuhito was still young and therefore Kamatari's nephew, who is also said to have been his son-in-law, NAKATOMI no Omimaro temporarily inherited the kabane Fujiwara. Later, when Fuhito had grown up, an order by Emperor Monmu stated that the kabane of Fujiwara was permitted only to be inherited by the descendants of Kamatari's heir Fuhito while the kabane of others were to be reverted to Nakatomi, and Omimaro returned to using the Nakatomi kabane. Omimaro was promoted to Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) with to the support of Fuhito and others. From then on, the Nakatomi clan descendants of the Omimaro came to be called the Onakatomi clan.
Among the Onakatomi clan, the family line that wielded the most power was that descending from Omimaro's son ONAKATOMI no Kiyomaro (held the court rank of Minister of the Right) (702 - 788), and they inherited the positions of Jingikan (Department of Worship) and Ise Saishu (head priest of Ise-jingu Shrine). During the Heian period, ONAKATOMI no Yoshinobu, his son ONAKATOMI no Sukechika, and his granddaughter Ise no Taifu also achieved prominence as kajin (waka poets).
When the Shirakawa family came to inherit the position of Jingikan in the mid-Heian period the descendants of ONAKATOMI no Kiyomaro came to inherit the positions of Jingikan and Ise Saishu.
These descendants came to be known as the Fujinami family during the Edo period.