Seikanji Tomofusa (清閑寺共房)
Tomofusa SEIKANJI (July 9, 1589 - August 22, 1661) was kugyo (a Court noble) in the early Edo period. He was an ancestor of the revived Seikanji family in the Edo period. Since he served five Emperors for ages from the Emperor Goyozei (the 107th) to the Emperor Gosai (the 111th) at the Imperial Court, he got unprecedented promotion as a member of a important noble family receiving the official rank of Juichi (Junior First Rank), Naidaijin (the minister of the center). His father was Gon Dainagon (a provisional chief councilor of the state), Suketane NAKAMIKADO. His foster father was Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of the state), Yukifusa SEIKANJI. His wife was a daughter of 光源寺智祐. His sons included Gon Dainagon, Tomotsuna SEIKANJI, Gon Dainagon, Tomotaka IKEJIRI (an ancestor of the Ikejiri family) and Gon Dainagon, Sadanori UMEKOJI (an ancestor of the UMEKOJI family). His daughters included a wife of Gon Dianagon, Sukeyoshi KARASUMA and a wife of Uhyoe no suke (an assistant captain of the Right Division of Middle Palace Guards),Yorinao TOMINOKOJI.
His foster father Yukifusa SEIKANJI had been dead for more than one century when he was born. Therefore, the line of the Seikanji family died out for a long time with Yukifusa as the last person of the family. However, when Motofusa was adopted into the Seikanji family from the Nakanomikado family, the family name of Seikanji was revived. In 1602, the peerage was conferred on him. Since then, he took various positions such as Kurodo (chamberlain), Ushoben (minor controller of the right), Sashoben (minor controller of the left) and Sachuben (middle controller of the left), and in 1613, he became Kurodo no to (the head chamberlain) and Udaiben (the major controller of the right). In 1614, he became Sangi (councillor) to rank with Kugyo. In the same year, he was appointed to be Sadaiben (major controller of the left). In 1619, he was appointed to be Gon Chunagon. In 1632, he assumed Gon Dainagon and served in this position until 1637. From 1652 to 1661, he served as buketenso (Imperial official in charge of communication between the shogunate and the Court). In 1654, he received the official rank of Juichii (Junior First Rank). In the same year, he received unprecedented promotion as a member of an important family being appointed to be Naidaijin.