Yanagiwara Suketsuna (柳原資綱)
Suketsuna YANAGIWARA (1419 - July 22, 1501) was a Kugyo (court noble) and lord of the Yanagiwara family who lived during the Muromachi period. His father was Yukimitsu (行光) YANAGIWARA, his mother was a daughter of Sukekuni HINONISHI, and among his children were Kazumitsu YANAGIWARA and Mitsuhide (光秀) YANAGIWARA. His official court rank was Juichii (Junior First Rank) Gon Dainagon (provisional vice-councilor of state).
Career
In 1419 Suketsuna was born as a son of Yukimitsu YANAGIWARA. On April 29, 1449, he was assigned to Sangi (councilor). From around the time of the Onin War, the Yanigiwara's family finances became depleted due to various parts of the chigyo (fief) being usurped. Suketsuna went down to his chigyo in Inaba Province where his main financial base was located and managed his shoryo (territory) with his son Kazumitsu. From around 1478, Suketsuna repeated this trip nearly every year, traveling to Inaba Province and then returning to Kyoto. Suketsuna managed his territory by having his son Kazumitsu travel to Kyoto when Suketsuna stayed behind, and when Suketsuna traveled to Kyoto to serve in the Imperial Court, Kazumitsu would stay in the territory. While Suketsuna was in Inaba Province he allegedly had a residence in Momodani, Homi County (present day Tottori City). It was 1482 when he was assigned to Juichii Gon Dainagon. He stayed in Inaba Province to manage his territory, but when he went to Kyoto he was an outgoing member of society, attending such events as monthly Japanese and Chinese classics meetings in order to preserve the honor of the Yanagiwara family. He was apparently not very proficient at Japanese and Chinese classics, evidenced by a comment made by Chikanaga KANROJI in his diary that, 'Suketsuna is not good at Japanese and Chinese classics' ("Chikanaga kyo ki" [Diary of Chikanaga KANROJI]). At the of change eras in 1492, Suketsuna stated, 'If our territory in Omi Province can be revived, I will leave straight for Kyoto to serve the government in the Imperial Court with my son,' and applied to have his territory restored. When he received an answer that it was impossible, however, he refused to let his son Kazumitsu, who had been chosen to suggest the name of the new era, travel to Kyoto and they continued to stay in Inaba Province. At the old age of 83, Suketsuna died of a disease during a stay in Tanshu on July 22, 1501.
Sanetaka SANJONISHI described Suketsuna as 'the Tairo (chief minister) of Imperial Court.'