Suzuka Tsuratane (鈴鹿連胤)
Tsuratane SUZUKA (December 10, 1795 - January 10, 1871) was a Shinto priest and a scholar of Japanese classical literature during the late Edo period. His childhood name was Yukimatsu (幸松). His go (pen name) was Seisai (誠斎), Shorakusha (尚褧舎). His shigo (posthumous name) was Isao reijin (霊神).
He was born in shake (family of Shinto priests serving a shrine on a hereditary basis) of Kyoto Yoshida-jinja Shrine (Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City). His father was Takayoshi, and his mother was the daughter of Sakyo no suke (Assistant Master of the Eastern Capital Offices) Tsuneyasu TATERI. The original surname of the Suzuka clan was Nakatomi, and it is said that the Nakatomi family are descendants of Yoshiko no muraji (吉子連), a son of NAKATOMI no Kane. The family held the position of Karo (chief retainers) of the Shinto priest Yoshida family for generations. After he lost his father Takayoshi when he was eight years old, he was brought up by his mother and grandmother, with Michimasu SUZUKA of the same family acting as his guardian. After his first appointment to Jingi gon shojo (assistant junior judge for the institution dedicating religious ceremonies) at the age of 10 in 1804, he successively held the position of Jingikan (officer of the institution for dedicating religious ceremonies). He served Chikuzen no kami (governor of Chikuzen province) as an additional post since 1812. After being appointed to Yoshida-jinja Shrine shuku (male spiritual medium) (Shinto priest) in 1816, he worked to maintain and manage the shrine as a Shinto priest, and formed friendships with court nobles, including Sanetsumu SANJO, and Mitsunaru YANAGIWARA, and scholars of Japanese classical literature, including Atsutane HIRATA, Ekisai KARIYA, and Hirokata YASHIRO in Edo, and Nobutomo BAN, and Yoshika MUTOBE in Kyoto. In 1836, Tsuratane, at the age of 42, transferred the head of the family to his oldest son Nagaari SUZUKA, and retired from the Yoshida family. Thereafter, while he concentrated in writing "Jinjakakuroku" (historical investigation book of old shrines), he sometimes supported royalist political reformers, and his name appears in Shoin YOSHIDA's "Ryukonroku" (A Record of Leaving My Soul in this World) as 'Suzuka Chiku-Seki Nishu' (Suzuka family in two provinces: Chikuzen and Iwami) (Chikushu (Chiku) indicates Tsuratane (of Chikuzen no kami), and Sekishu (Seki) indicates his son Iwami no kami (Governor of Iwami Province) Nagaari). Lamented by ruined Emperors' tombs, he worked with Tadayuki TODA and Yoshiomi TANIMORI to reconnoiter the Emperors' tombs in Yamato and Kawachi Provinces at his own expense. He also made an effort to rebuild the main building of the Yoshida-jinja Shrine and revive public festivals such as Kasuga-matsuri Festival and Kannamesai Festival, and for these achievements, he was conferred Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) in 1866, an exception for a member of the Suzuka family. In 1870, he completed his great literature "Jinjakakuroku" after his 30 years of work, and provided that to Jingikan, but he died on January 10, 1871 (his death was published on February 23, 1871). He died at 77, and his graveyard is in Yoshida Kaguraoka-cho Town, Sakyo Ward.
He was diligent in his studies; he learned Sinology from Nakaryo MATSUOKA (松岡仲了) and Japanese classical literature from Ibun YAMADA (山田以文) since he was a child and after he becoming older, he learned waka (traditional Japanese poetry of 31 syllables) from Kageki KAGAWA. He was also known as a book collector. It is said that Sanyo RAI often came to borrow reference books while he was editing "Nihon Gaishi" (historical book on Japan), but the collection, which was said to include several hundred books, was presented to the Imperial court in response to an official order and stored in the Sain (Council of the Left), but a fire broke out at the Imperial Palace and the books were burnt to cinders. His representative work is "Jinjakakuroku" described above.
Official rank and government post
September 24, 1804: Conferred to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), and appointed to Jingi gon shojo (at the age of 10).
March 13, 1811: Promoted to Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade) (Retained his position as Jingi gon shojo) (at the age of 17).
1812: (At the age of 18)
April 2: Served at an additional post, Chikuzen no kami.
July 13: Promoted to Jingi gon taijo (Judge of the institution for dedicating religious ceremonies) (Retained his position as Chikuzen no kami).
1816: (At the age of 22)
February 27: Appointed to Yoshida-jinja Shrine Gon shuku (male assistant spiritual medium).
November 13: Promoted to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) (Retained his positions as Jingi gon taijo and Chikuzen no kami).
April 30, 1818: Changed his surname to Urabe (at the age of 24).
1824: (At the age of 30)
July 2: Changed his surname to his original surname, Nakatomi.
February 6: Promoted to Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) (Retained his positions as Jingi gon taijo and Chikuzen no kami).
November 9, 1828: Changed his surname to Urabe (at the age of 34).
June 22, 1832: Changed his surname to his original name Nakatomi (at the age of 38).
August 11, 1833: Promoted to Jingi gon no shofu (Provisional Junior Assistant Director of Divinities) (Retained his position as Chikuzen no kami) (at the age of 39).
1836: Transferred the head position of the family to his oldest son Nagaari, and retired from the Yoshida family (at the age of 42).
April 15, 1838: Promoted to Jushiinojo (Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade) (Retained his positions as Jingi gon no shofu and Chikuzen no kami) (at the age of 44).
1845: (At the age of 51)
November 10: Changed his surname to Urabe.
December 29: Changed his surname back to his original surname Nakatomi.
1848: (At the age of 54)
March 23: Changed his surname to Urabe.
December 30: Changed his surname back to his original surname Nakatomi.
December 30, 1854: Promoted to Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) (Retained his positions as Jingi gon no shofu and Chikuzen no kami) (at the age of 60).
November 29, 1855: Promoted to Yoshida-jinja Shrine Negi (Shinto priest) (at the age of 61).
April 6, 1859: Promoted to Yoshida-jinja Shrine azukari (an additional post as the chief of Naizenshi) (government post) (at the age of 65).
May 21, 1866: Promoted to Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) (at the age of 72).
February 15, 1871: Resigned from the position of Yoshida-jinja Shrine gon azukari (assistant custodian).
He frequently changed his surname to Urabe because he held the position of kiboku (augury reading the crack in a burned tortoise shell) at Jingikan (department of worship).