was an ancient

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

ese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing (a ''

kabane were Japanese hereditary noble titles. Their use traces back to ancient times when they began to be used as titles signifying a family's political and social status. History At first, the ''kabane'' were administered by individual clans, but ...

'') that was reserved for certain members of the ''Tomo no Miyatsuko'' clans, which were clans associated with particular occupations. They became a

hereditary title Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are nobility titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families. Though both monarchs and nobles usually inherit their titles, the mechanisms often d ...

passed down the generations. The ''kimi'' rank was lower than the ''

muraji (from Old Japanese: ''muraⁿzi'' < *''mura-nusi'' "village master") was an ancient

Japan

ese hereditary title denoting rank a ...

'' and '' omi'' ranks in political power and standing during much of the

Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...

and

Asuka period The was a period in the history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710, although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding Kofun period. The Yamato period, Yamato polity evolved greatly during the Asuka period, which is named after the ...

which are collectively grouped as the Yamato period.Shinsen Shōjiroku "''Kimi''" literally means "Lord" (of a local area). For example, in the name Kamitsukeno no Kimi Wakako, "Kamitsukeno no kimi" means "Lord of Kamitsukeno" and Wakako is his personal name. Sometimes the character (公) is used in place of (君).

List of ''Kimi'' (君)

** Oka no Kimi Yoroshi (岡君宜), sent as envoy to

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

for

Emperor Kōtoku was the 36th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 孝徳天皇 (33)/ref> according to the traditional List of emperors of Japan, order of succession. The years of his reign lasted from Asuka period, 645 through 654. Tradi ...

. * Bungo Province (豊後国) ** Okita no Kimi Esaka (大分君惠尺, died 675), important member of the court for

Emperor Tenmu was the 40th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 天武天皇 (40) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 53. He ascended ...

during the Jinshin War. ** Okita no Kimi Wakaomi (大分君稚臣, died 679) also called Wakami (稚見), important member of the court for

during the Jinshin War. * Hi Province (火国 or 肥国) ** Hi no Kimi Take Wokumi (火君健男組 / 肥君健男組), legendary ancestor of the Hi no Kimi clan who was granted the title by Emperor Sujin for pacifying the area. ** Hi no Kimi Ite (火君猪手 / 肥君猪手), lived in northern Kyushu in 702 during the reign of Emperor Monmu. * Kōzuke Province (上野国) ** Sami no Sukunamaro (佐味宿那麻呂 / 佐味君少麻呂), fought for Emperor Temmu during the Jinshin War. *

Mino Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviated fo ...

(美濃国) ** Mori no Kimi Oiwa (守君大石), sent in 661 to rescue

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...

by Emperor Tenji who sent him after in 665 to the

as an envoy. ** Mori no Kimi Karita (守君刈田), granted the rank of Jikiko-shi by

Empress Jitō was the 41st emperor of Japan, monarch of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 持統天皇 (41)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Jitō's reign spanned the years from Jitō period, 68 ...

in 691. *

Nagato Province , often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces. History Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimono ...

(長門国) ** Ina no Kimi Takami (猪名公高見, died 672), lived during the time of

. *

Ōmi Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō Circuit (subnational entity), circuit. Its nickname is . Under the ''Engishiki'' classification system, ...

(近江国) ** Inukami no Kimi Mitasuki (犬上君三田耜 / 犬上御田鍬), sent by Empress Suiko in 614 to

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty ( ) was a short-lived Dynasties of China, Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618. The re-unification of China proper under the Sui brought the Northern and Southern dynasties era to a close, ending a prolonged peri ...

returning home 615 from

. Also sent by Emperor Jomei as an envoy to the

in 630. ** Inukami no Kimi Takerube (犬上君健部), minister of

. ** Inukami no Kimi Shiromaro (犬上君白麻呂), son of Mitasuki, sent as ambassador by Empress Saimei to

Goguryeo Goguryeo (37 BC – 668 AD) (; ; Old Korean: Guryeo) also later known as Goryeo (; ; Middle Korean: 고ᇢ롕〮, ''kwòwlyéy''), was a Korean kingdom which was located on the northern and central parts of the Korea, Korean Peninsula an ...

. *

Shimotsuke Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Tochigi Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''SHimotsuke''" in . Shimotsuke was bordered by Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Hitachi Province, ...

(下野国) ** Kamitsukeno no Kimi Okuma (上毛野君小熊), participated in the feud of the

Kuni no miyatsuko , also read as ''kokuzō'' or ''kunitsuko'', were officials in ancient Japan during the Yamato period who governed provinces called ''kuni''. Yamato period ''Kuni no miyatsuko'' governed provinces called ''kuni'' (国), although the location, nam ...

Musashi Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Kawasaki and Yokohama. ...

, Omi and his relative Oki. ** Kamitsukeno no Kimi Katana (上毛野君形名), father of Wakako. In 637 he led an expedition against the Emishi. ** Kamitsukeno no Kimi Wakako (上毛野君稚子), led 27,000 soldiers to help

in 662. ** Kamitsukeno no Kimi Michiji (上毛野君三千), son of Wakako, government official. *

Suruga Province was an Provinces of Japan, old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu Province, Izu, Kai Province, Kai, Sagami Province, Sagami, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Province, Tōtōm ...

(駿河国) ** Iohara no Kimi (廬原君), led 10,000 soldiers to help

in 662. Personal name unknown. *

Tsukushi Province was an Old provinces of Japan, ancient province of Japan, in the area of Chikuzen Province, Chikuzen and Chikugo Province, Chikugo provinces. This province was located within Fukuoka Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005 ...

(筑紫国) ** Tsukushi no Kimi Iwai (筑紫君磐井, died 528), political arch-rival of

Emperor Keitai (died 10 March 531) was the 26th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 継体天皇 (26)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conve ...

and led a failed rebellion in 527, known as the

Iwai Rebellion The was a rebellion against the Yamato court that took place in Tsukushi Province, Japan (now nearby Ogōri city in Fukuoka Prefecture) in 527 AD. The rebellion was named after its leader, Iwai, who is believed by historians to have been a power ...

ending with his death. The Iwatoyama kofun in

Fukuoka is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...

was recorded in ''Fudoki of Chikugo'' to be his tomb. ** Tsukushi no Kimi Kazuko (筑紫君葛子), son of Iwai. He feared being put to death on implication because of his father's rebellion, and gave to the Emperor the ''miyake'' of Kasuya. There is no record of his death, so it is believed he lived on. ** Tsukushi no Kimi Sachiyama (筑紫君薩野馬 / 筑紫君薩夜麻), in 671 he served as an envoy for Emperor Tenji and in 690 for Empress Jito with the

. *

Yamashiro Province was a province of Japan, located in Kinai. It overlaps the southern part of modern Kyoto Prefecture on Honshū. Aliases include , the rare , and . It is classified as an upper province in the '' Engishiki''. Yamashiro Province included Kyoto it ...

(山城国) ** Miwa no Kimi Sakau (三輪君逆, died 586), brother of Osazaki. He was minister for Emperor Bidatsu. ** Miwa no Kimi Osazaki (三輪君小鷦鷯), brother of Sakau. He suffered intense questioning for raping the ladies in waiting of Emperor Jomei and stabbed himself in the neck and died. ** Miwa no Kurukuma no Kimi Azumahito (三輪栗隈君東人), from a cadet branch of the Miwa clan. In 645 he was dispatched two times to confirm the border between

and the

Gaya confederacy Gaya (; ) was a Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period. The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is AD 42– ...

. ** Miwa no Kimi Okuchi (輪君大口), from a cadet branch of the Miwa clan. Lived during the reign of

. ** Miwa no Kimi Fumiya (三輪文屋, died 643), son of Osazaki. He escaped with Prince Yamashiro, the son of

Prince Shōtoku , also known as or , was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was the son of Emperor Yōmei and his consort, Princess Anahobe no Hashihito, who was also Yōmei's younger half ...

to Mount Ikoma (生駒山) and they were both killed there. ** Miwa no Kimi Shikobu (三輪君色夫), son of Sakau. He was dispatched with the army to

Silla Silla (; Old Korean: wikt:徐羅伐#Old Korean, 徐羅伐, Yale romanization of Korean, Yale: Syerapel, Revised Romanization of Korean, RR: ''Seorabeol''; International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA: ) was a Korean kingdom that existed between ...

in 649. ** Miwa no Kimi Nemaro (三輪君根麻呂), general who was dispatched to Japan with 27,000 soldiers in 663 and fought the Battle of Baekgang. ** Miwa no Kimi Togane (三輪君利金), son of Fumiya, father of Takechimaro. He was ranked Daikajō (大花上), which was a high crown rank. The Ōmiwa clan regained power during his generation. ** Miwa no Kimi Kobito (三輪君子首, died 676), son of Shikobu. He was minister of

. ** Miwa no Kimi Takechimaro (三輪君高市麻呂, 657–706), son of Togane, grandson of Fumiya. He fought for

during the Jinshin War.

Notes

{{reflist Ancient Japan

List of ''Kimi'' (君)

See also

Notes