Nikaido Sadafuji (二階堂貞藤)
Sadafuji NIKAIDO (1267 - January 31, 1335) was the gokenin (an immediate vassal of the shogunate in the Kamakura and Muromachi through Edo periods) at the end of Kamakura period. He was a child of Yukifuji NIKAIDO. His homyo (a posthumous Buddhist name) was Doun. He was the Dewa no Kami (the governor of Dewa Province). His children were Kanefuji NIKAIDO, Tomofuji NIKAIDO, and Kaneyoshi NIKAIDO.
He headed Makisho, Yamanashi-gun District, Kai Province, and reconstructed the Joko-ji Temple (located in Yamanashi City, Yamanashi Prefecture, former Makioka Town, Higashi Yamanashi District) by inviting Soseki MUSO from Kamakura in 1305.
According to the "Taiheiki" (The Record of the Great Peace), he supposedly stopped the deciphering of the imperial command of Emperor Godaigo sent to Kamakura during Shochu Disturbance when the subjugation plan of Emperor Godaigo against the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) was revealed in 1324.
A conflict rose with Jimyoin-to (imperial lineage from Emperor Gofukakusa to Emperor Gokomatsu) which called for the resignation of Emperor Godaigo in Kyoto in 1329, and both were working toward Kamakura as Doun went to the capital (Kyoto) in April as a messenger.
Doun presented the strong and original arbitration proposal for Jimyoin-to side, and Sadaaki HOJO criticized Doun and referred about him in "Taiheiki" as 'the sole enemy of the imperial court.'
Some points that the Doun's arbitrary decision indicated his disapproval of appointing Sadahira, the son of Yukisada NIKAIDO, as the successor of Sadayuki NIKAIDO, who was Mandokoro Shitsuji (chief of Mandokoro, the Administrative Board) and passed away in March of the same year, while Doun, Sadayuki's putative successor, was away in Kyoto ("KANEZAWA Sadaaki" written by Susumu NAGAI).
He became the head of Hikitsuke tonin (chairman of the court of justice) in 1330 and invited Muso to Kai Province again to establish the Erin-ji Temple (Koshu City, formerly Enzan City). He worked as the Mandokoro Shitsuji in 1332 and assisted Takatoki HOJO. He entered Kyoto with Takakage ADACHI as the messenger to demote the Emperor Godaigo in 1331, and also participated in the attack of Chihaya-jo Castle arranged by Masashige KUSUNOKI of Miya (imperial court) side.
He participated in the Kenmu Restoration after the fall of the Kamakura bakufu and managed the jurisdiction over the Hokurikudo Road as the Fourth Department of the Zasso-Ketsudansho (agency of Kenmu government to file lawsuits). He was executed at Rokujo-gawara (Rokujo Riverbed) (the execution place along the Kamo-gawa River in Kyoto) due to the discovery of treason by Kinmune SAIONJI in 1334.