The Kasuga Family (春日家)
The Kasuga family was one of Japan's noble families.
The Kasuga family (of the Uda Genji [Minamoto clan])
They were a family of jige (lower-ranking courtiers) descended from MINAMOTO no Tokikata of the Itsutsuji line of the Uda Genji (Minamoto clan). They also claim MINAMOTO no Nakamoto, who was a house retainer of the Koga family, as an ancestor. During the Muromachi period, the family turned out great numbers of noblemen, and notably Nakaoki KASUGA and Nakashige KASUGA, representing two generations in a row, ascended as far as the junior third rank at court, but these two generations having passed, the family line died out. But then in the Edo period Nakami KASUGA revived the family line as a jige (lower-ranking courtier) family, and for generations thereafter family members served the Koga family as high stewards.
The Kasuga family (of the Murakami Genji [Minamoto clan])
Akinobu KITABATAKE (the Kasuga Sashosho [Minor Captain of the Left Division of the Palace Guards]), the son of Chikafusa KITABATAKE of the Kitabatake line of the Murakami Genji (Minamoto clan), as well as Akitoki KASUGA (the Kasuga Chujo [Middle Captain], who was either Chikafusa's son or younger brother, and was of the lineage of Mochifusa REIZEI), both took the name "Kasuga." In addition, Akikuni KASUGA (the Kasuga Jiju [chamberlain], who may have been the son of MINAMOTO no Akiyuki, who himself was the descendant of MINAMOTO no Kuninobu) also took the name "Kasuga." All three of these men were heavily involved in battles as military commanders on the side of the Southern Court during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan); when the Southern Court fell into decline, they all, as noblemen central to the Southern Court's existence, were unable to leave behind any descendants.
The Kasuga family (of the Uona line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan)
Coming from a branch line of the Rokujo family, itself of the Uona line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan, the family claims descent from FUJIWARA no Iesue, the great-grandson of FUJIWARA no Akisuke. During the Kamakura period three generations, namely Iesue, Suenori, and Akinori, all were ranked among the court nobility, but in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts their family line died out.