Hino Toshimoto (日野俊基)
Toshimoto HINO (date of birth unknown, died July 4, 1332) was a court noble at the end of Kamakura Period. His father was Tanenori HINO.
Brief Personal History
He joined the direct imperial rule of Emperor Godaigo, who was enthroned in 1318, and became a kurodo (chamberlain). He was influenced by Emperor Godaigo's Neo-confucianism (Sung-period neo-Cunfucianism), and participated in the conspiracy to attack the Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shougun). He traveled across Japan to recruit anti-shogunate forces; however, Rokuhara Tandai (an administrative and judicial agent in Rokuhara, Kyoto) scented his moves. In 1324, he was arrested with Suketomo HINO in the Shochu Disturbance; however, he escaped punishment. He returned to Kyoto. He was arrested again in the Genko Incident, which was the second anti-shogunate plot uncovered in 1331, and was sentenced to death in Kuzuharagaoka, Kamakura.
His death haiku (Japanese poem) was 'I will die before autumn in Kuzuharagaoka. My bitterness will remain forever'.
After the Meiji Restoration, the Southern Court (Yoshino Imperial Court) became legitimate; people started to recognize Toshimoto as a person who had rendered distinguished service in the anti-shogunate movement. Kuzuharagaoka-jinja Shrine was founded in Kajiwara, Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture in 1887; the shusaijin (main enshrined deity) of the shrine was Toshimoto; Toshimoto was also promotoed to Jusanmi (Senior Third Rank).
Graveyard
His graveyard is located to the south of Kuzuharagaoka-jinja Shrine. It was designated a national historic site on April 8, 1927; the remains are preserved and managed by the Toshimoto-kyo Iseki Hozon Foundation.