Inishie Historical Figure

*Inishie no Kuni* (古の国), the Country of Beginnings is where historical figures of the **Asuka** and **Nara Period** live.

## **Shoutoku Taishi**

In our world Prince Shoutoku is a semi-legendary figure. He was the son of an emperor and became the regent once his aunt took the throne. Prince Shoutoku made a lot of changes to the Japanese government, modeling it on the Chinese system. He was known for being persuasive and for his political maneuverings.

Some of the changes he made included taking up the Chinese calendar, pushing for Buddhism and Confucianism instead of the reigning Shintoism, made changes towards breaking down the hereditary government posts into a bureaucracy, created a highway network, had a book of Japanese history written and moved power from the feudal lords to the emperor. He also wrote a letter to the Chinese emperor which is where Japan gets its Japanese name (nippon) from.

Because of how influential Shoutoku was in spreading Buddhism in Japan he was looked at as a kind of Buddhist saint.

Other places you can see Shoutoku Taishi used as a character:

* *Shotoku Taishi* (film)

## **Ono no Imoko**

In our world Ono no Imoko was a politician during the reign of empress Suiko, whose regent was Shoutoku Taishi.

He is best known for delivering Taishi's letter to the emperor of China which began with the famous words "The Son of Heaven from the country where the sun rises [Japan], to the Son of Heaven from the country where the sun sets [China], may good health be with you." This is where Japan's modern name comes from (Nippon = the country where the sun rises). The Chinese emperor was famously furious at these words yet sent an envoy back to Japan with Imoko.

Other places you can see Ono no Imoko used as a character:

* *Prince Shotoku* (film)

## **Mononobe no Moriya**

In our world Mononobe no Moriya was a high ranking clan head in ancient Japan.

He was vehemently against buddhism and tried alongside his fellows to stop Soga no Umako and his followers from spreading it, preferring shinto and the old ways. This led to a battle where Moriya set fire to the first buddhist temple in Japan and threw the buddha figures into the rivers of Naniwa. Eventually the religious wars led the Soga and Mononobe clans to another battle where Moriya died and the Soga stood victorious.

Other places you can see Mononobe no Moriya used as a character:

* *Shotoku Taishi* (film)

## **Nakatomi no Kamatari**

In our world Nakatomi no Kamatari, aka Fujiwara no Kamatari, was the founder of the Fujiwara clan.

He was a courtier and politician who worked with Mononobe no Moriya against Soga no Umako in trying to stop the spread of buddhism. He also helped his friend and future emperor Naka-no-Ooe no Ouji to perform a coup d'état where they slew Soga no Iruka. This resulted in a change of emperors. Kamatari went on to lead the launch of the Taika Reforms, which were so great they mark the end of the Asuka period.

Naka-no-Ooe eventually became Emperor Tenji and granted his friend Kamatari the highest ranks and the new clan name of Fujiwara. Kamatari's son, Fujiwara no Fuhito, kept the clan going towards greatness.

Other places you can see Nakatomi no Kamatari used as a character:

* *Tokuiden: the age of demons* (game)

## **Naka-no-Ooe no Ouji**

In our world Naka-no-Ooe no Ouji or Prince Naka-no-Ooe would eventually become Emperor Tenji, the 38th emperor of Japan.

Naka-no-Ooe conspired with his friends Nakatomi no Kamatari and Soga no Kurayamada to perform a coup and assassinate Soga no Iruka. This helped end the Soga clan's reign and Naka-no-Ooe became the heir and married the daughter of Soga no Kurayamada to keep the remainder of the Soga clan on his side. Naka-no-Ooe then went on to push for the Taika Reforms before becoming Emperor Tenji.

During his reign Tenji compiled the first Japanese legal code and actively improved the military institutions.

Other places you can see Naka-no-Ooe used as a character:

* ???

## **Fujiwara no Fuhito**

In our world Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful courtier.

Fuhito began what would be a long backstage reign of the Fujiwara clan by marrying his daughter to the Emperor Monmu and then marrying another of his daughters to his grandson, Emperor Shomu. The one he married to Emperor Shomu became the first to gain the title Empress without being of the imperial family. Emperor Monmu also declared that only Fuhito's descendants could bear the Fujiwara clan name which Fuhito's father, Nakatomi no Kamatari, had received from Naka-no-Ooe no Ouji.

Fuhito also participated in writing the Japanese state law, ritsuryo.

Other places you can see Fujiwara no Fuhito used as a character:

* *Tokuiden 2* (game)

## **Soga no Iruka**

In our world Soga no Iruka was the heir to the influential Soga clan and his death brought about the end of their reign.

Iruka is best known for his death, an assassination during a coup d'état by Nakatomi no Kamatari and Naka-no-Ooe no Ouji. Kamatari and Naka-no-Ooe elaborately plotted to kill Iruka for his supposed muder of Prince Yamashiro and his family (the oldest son of Shoutoku Taishi), which Iruka denied. They however succeeded in killing him which resulted in the suicide of Iruka's father and the abdication of the Empress, who witnessed the violent murder.

## **Soga no Umako**

In our world Soga no Umako was a great promoter of Buddhism in Japan.

He worked with Shoutoku Taishi on reforms and helped the Soga clan gain power by marrying his daughters to members of the imperial family. During his promotions for Buddhism Umako clashed with Mononobe no Moriya, one of the main supporters of Shinto, and this religious conflict lasted until Umako's forces killed Moriya.

Other places you can see Soga no Umako used as a character:

* *Prince Shotoku* (film)

## **Ganjin**

In our world Ganjin, otherwise known as Jianzhen, was a Chinese monk.

He became a Buddhist monk at the age of 14 and eventually rose to be the abbot of a temple. He was said to be especially well versed in medicine. One day an emissary from Japan invited Ganjin to lecture on Buddhism in Japan. Ganjin tried and failed five times to cross the ocean to Japan, losing his eyesight during his fifth failed trip.

At last during his 6th try the blind Ganjin made it to Japan where he helped spread Buddhism, presided over one of the main Buddhist temples, the Todaiji, in Nara and eventually retiring and founding another, private temple.

## **Kibi no Makibi**

In our world Kibi no Makibi was a nobleman and a scholar who rose to become an important minister.

Kibi spent many years in China and when he came back he brought a lot of Chinese wisdom and culture with him which influenced the Japanese court. He is among other things credited with bringing the game of Go and sometimes with inventing the katakana writing system.

Other places you can see Kibi no Makibi used as a character:

* *Consecration of the Great Buddha (film)*