毛利元就
was a samurai during the Sengoku period, retainer of the Mōri clan and was a ji-samurai ("koku-jin-ryōshū") of southern Bingo Province. He held many positions including "karō" (clan elder) serving Mōri Motonari and his father Mōri Hiromoto in diplomatic missions with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Narinaga was a "bugyō" under Mōri Terumoto. From Hideyoshi he received the rank of Hizen-no-kami (肥前守). He served as diplomat between the Mōri and Hideyoshi. Later he was bestowed the 5th court rank, junior grade "Ju go-i-no-ge" (従五位). The character "nari, 就" came from his lord Mōri Motonari and "naga, 長" from his father Kikuchi Takenaga. Narinaga was one of the few to live through all the Sengoku period.