Horikawa Yasutane (堀河康胤)
Yasutane HORIKAWA (October 14, 1592 - March 15, 1673) was the Kugyo (high court noble) during the early Edo period and the originator of the Horikawa family. He served six generations of emperors from Emperor Goyozei (the 107th) to Emperor Reigen (the 112th), and he was promoted to Junii Gon Chunagon (Junior Second Rank, provisional vice-councilor of state). His father was Chikatomo MINASE, Sakone no chujo (Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards). Nobuchika HORIKAWA, Sashosho (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) and Noriyasu HORIKAWA, Sangi (councillor) were his son, and Nobuchika HIGUCGHI was his daughter. His original first name was Yasumitsu.
He became the originator of the Horikawa family, separated from the family of his father, Chikatomo MINASE, who had been separated from the family of his grandfather, Nagaie TAKAKURA. He was cofeered a perrage in 1602. He held various positions such as Palace staff, Sahyoe no gon no suke (Provisional Assistant Captain of the Left Division of Middle Palace Guards), Sakone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) and Sakone no chujo (Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards). In 1630, he became Jusani (Junior Third Rank) and ranked with Kugyo (the top court officials). After that, he served as Saemon no kami (captain of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards), Sangi (councillor), and oka no sechie Geben (a kugyo who supervised many matters outside Jomei Gate at Toka no sechie [Imperial Court Ceremony]), and in 1663, he assumed the position of Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state), but he resigned from his position and became a priest in the same year. He was 72 years-old then.