The Urin Family (羽林家)
The Urin Family was of the house status of kuge (court nobility) subsequent to the Kamakura period; it was inferior to the sekke (the house of regents), Seigake (one of the statuses of court nobility that was inferior to the sekke but superior to the minister) and the house of minister, but it was equal to meike (kuge), a kuge of lower rank, and superior to hange (kuge), a kuge of lower rank.
The Urin Family had the standing of the house of military officers, which could also serve as konoefu shosho (chujo) and could be promoted from sangi (councilor) through Chunagon (vice-councilor of state) up to Dainagon (chief councilor of state).
Although extremely rare, there were cases in which a family member was promoted to naidaijin (minister of the center). According to the ordinance on nobles after the Meiji Restoration, the Urin Family was ranked in principle as a count (but the Iwakura Family, the descendant of Minister of the Right Tomomi IWAKURA, was specially offered the title of a prince).
Urin means "fast as a feather and many as a forest" and was a name for a star that guarded Hokushin (the North Star) in China. The name became the official name of a government office of the night-duty guards of the Imperial Court, who guarded the Emperor. It became another name (Chinese-style name) of Konoefu, and became the family that served as officer of the Konoe (guards), which was the Urin Family. It had the standing of the house of a military officer.
The House of Fujiwara North, the Kanin line (23 families)
The Ogimachi Family: a side line of the House of Toin
The original forefather was Saneaki OGIMACHI, the child of Kimimori TOIN. Old families. The family business consisted of so (a stringed instrument) and calligraphy.
The Shigenoi Family: a side line of the House of Sanjo
The original forefather was Sanekuni SHIGENOI, the second son of Kiminori SANJO.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance) and Kojitsu (records of the past).
The Anekoji Family: a side line of Sanjo
The original forefather was Kiminobu ANEKOJI, the child of Sanefusa SANJO.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Shimizudani Family: a side line of the House of Saionji
The original forefather was Saneari SHIMIZUDANI, the child of Kintsune SAIONJI. Old families. The family business consisted of penmanship, sho (a wind instrument), (nogaku (Noh music)) and (kagura (a musical dance)).
The Yotsutsuji Family: the side line of the House of Saionji
The original forefather was Sanefuji YABUUCHI, the fourth child of Kintsune SAIONJI.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance), wagons and so (a stringed instrument). It was renamed to the House of Muromachi after the Meiji Restoration.
The Nishi-Yotsutsuji Family: a side line of Yotsutsuji
The original forefather was Kimiga NISHIYOTSUTSUJI, the child of Kimisuke YOTSUTSUJI.
New families
The family business consisted of so (a stringed instrument).
The House of Ogura: a side line of Toin
The original forefather was Kin-o OGURA, the child of Saneo TOIN.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Kawahata Family: a side line of Shigenoi
The original forefather was Kimikiyo KAZAHAYA, the second son of Sanekuni SHIGENOI.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Ano Family: a side line of Shigenoi
Kimisuke FUJIWARA, child of FUJIWARA no Narichika, became an adopted child of Suekuni SHIGENOI and established the family.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Hashimoto Family: the line of the House of Saionji
The original forefather was Sanetoshi REIZEI, the child of Kinsuke SAIONJI.
Old families
The family business consisted of the flute.
The Hanazono Family: a side line of the House of Ogimachisanjo
The original forefather was Sanenori HANAZONO, the child of Kimito OGIMACHISANJO.
New families
The family business consisted of biwa (Japanese lute).
The Uratsuji Family: a side line of the House of Ogimachi
The original forefather was Suefuku URATSUJI, the child of Sueyasu OGIMACHI.
New families
Originally, they called themselves Uratsuiji.
The Umezono Family: a side line of the House of Hashimoto
The original forefather was Sanekiyo UMEZONO, the second son of Sanekatsu HASHIMOTO.
Old families
The Yamamoto Family: a side line of Ano
The original forefather was Katsutada YAMAMOTO, the youngest son of Saneakira ANO.
New families
The Omiya Family: a side line of Saionji
The original forefather was Suemitsu OMIYA, the second son of Kinmasu SAIONJI.
New families
The Kazahaya Family: a side line of Anekoji
The original forefather was Sanetane KAZAHAYA, the second son of Kimikage ANEKOJI.
New families
The family business consisted of tea ceremony.
The Mushanokoji Family: a side line of the House of Sanjonishi
The original forefather was Kimitane MUSHANOKOJI, the child of Saneeda SANJONISHI.
New families
The family business consisted of the art of tanka poetry.
The Oshinokoji Family: a side line of Sanjonishi
The original forefather was Kimine OSHINOKOJI, the child of Kimikatsu SANJONISHI.
New families
The Takamatsu Family: a side line of Mushanokoji
The original forefather was Shigesue TAKAMATSU, the child of Sanekage MUSHANOKOJI.
New families
The following four families are not purely the line of FUJIWARA no Kinsue, the House of Fujiwara North, but belong to the Kanin Family.
The Yabu Family: Takakura (Yabu) direct line, the House of Fujiwara South
As the original forefather, FUJIWARA no Norisue, the descendant of FUJIWARA no Sadatsugu, established the House of Takakura. After the family line failed at the end of the Sengoku period (the Warring States period), in the early Edo period Kinto YOTSUTSUJI's son Norito TAKAKURA, and later his younger brother, Tsuguyoshi YABU, inherited the House of Takakua and renamed it as the House of Yabu. It was renamed again to the Takakura Family after the Restoration.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance), and so (a stringed instrument).
The Nakazono Family: a side line of Takakura (Yabu), the House of Fujiwara South
The original forefather was Suesada NAKAZONO, the youngest child of Tsuguyoshi YABU.
New families
The Takaoka Family: a side line of Takakura (Yabu), the House of Fujiwara South
The original forefather was Suetatsu TAKAOKA, the youngest child of Suesada NAKAZONO.
New families
The Sonoike Family: a side line of Kushige, Shijo line of the House of Fujiwara North
The original forefather was Munetomo SONOIKE, the child of Takashi KUSHIGE. Because Kimiya SONOIKE became another child considered to be Saneaki OGIMACHISANJO's own, it became a side line of Ogimachisanjo of the Kanin line.
New families
Line of Kazanin, the House of Fujiwara North (five families)
The Nakayama Family: a side line of the House of Kazanin. The original forefather was Tadachika NAKAYAMA, the child of Tadamune KAZANIN.
Old families
The family business consisted of flowers.
The Nanba Family: a Namba direct line, later a side line of Asukai
The original forefather was FUJIWARA no Tadanori, the fifth son of FUJIWARA no Morozane. After the family line failed once during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts, in the early Edo period Munekatsu NANBA, the child of Masatsune ASUKAI, re-established the family and became the side line of the House of Asukai.
Old families
The family business consisted of kemari (court-style football).
The Asukai Family: a side line of Nanba
The original forefather was Masatsune ASUKAI, the child of Yoritsune NANBA.
Old families
The family business consisted of waka (Japanese poetry), kemari (court-style football) and calligraphy.
The Nonomiya Family: a side line of Kazanin
The original forefather was Tadanaga NONOMIYA, the child of Sadahiro KAZANIN.
New families
The Imaki Family: a side line of Kazanin
The original forefather was Sadaatsu IMAKI, a grandchild of Tamechika REIZEI, who was the second son of Chikatsuna NAKAYAMA.
New families
The Nakamikado line of the House of Fujiwara North (nine families)
The Matsunoki Family: Nakamikado direct line (different from the Nakamikado Family of the Kanjuji line)
The original forefather was Munetoshi NAKAMIKADO, the grandchild of FUJIWARA no Yorimune.
Old families
The family business consisted of sho (a wind instrument) and (gakudo (music)).
The Jimyoin Family: Jimyoin direct line
The original forefather was Michimoto JIMYOIN, grandchild of FUJIWARA no Yorimune.
Old families
The family business consisted of penmanship, kagura (a musical dance) and hawk mastery.
The Sono Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Motouji SONO, the third son of Motoie JIMYOIN.
Old families
The family business consisted of biwa (Japanese lute) and (flower arrangement) (as the head family of the Aoyama line)).
The Higashisono Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Motonori HIGASHISONO, the second son of Mototada SONO.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Mibu Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Toshihira MIBU, a great-grandchild of Motooki HAGAWA who was the youngest son of Motonari SONO.
New families
The Takano Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Yasuharu TAKANO, the child of Motosada JIMYOIN.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Ishino Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Motoaki ISHINO, the child of Mototoki JIMYOIN.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Ishiyama Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Moroka ISHIYAMA, the child of Motooki HAGAWA.
New families
The family business consisted of calligraphy.
The Rokkaku Family: a side line of Jimyoin
The original forefather was Masumitsu ROKKAKU, the child of Motokore HATA who was the youngest son of Motooki HAGAWA (in fact, Masumitsu was a child of Motokazu HIGASHISONO).
New families
The family business consisted of calligraphy and kagura (a musical dance).
The Mikosa line of the House of Fujiwara North (four families)
The Reizei (Kami-Reizei) Family: a Mikosa direct line
The original forefather was FUJIWARA no Tamesou, the child of FUJIWARA no Tameie.
Old families
The family business consisted of waka (Japanese poetry), and kemari (court-style football).
The Reizei (Shimo-Reizei) Family: a side line of Mikosa
The original forefather was Mochitame REIZEI, the child of Tamekore REIZEI.
Old families
The family business consisted of waka (Japanese poetry).
The Fujitani Family: a side line of Mikosa
The original forefather was Tamekata FUJITANI, the child of Tamemitsu REIZEI.
New families
The family business consisted of the art of tanka poetry.
The Irie Family: a side line of Mikosa
The original forefather was Arihisa IRIE, the child of Tamenaga FUJITANI.
New families
The family business consisted of the art of tanka poetry.
The Hino line of the House of Fujiwara North (one family)
The Hinonishi Family: a side line of the Hirohashi Family
The original forefather was Fusamori HINONISHI, the third child of Moromitsu HIROHASHI.
New families
The Shijo line of the House of Fujiwara North (seven families)
The Shijo Family: a direct line of the Shijo Family
The original forefather was FUJIWARA no Takasue, the child of FUJIWARA no Ienari.
Old families
The family business consisted of sho (a wind instrument) and (hocho (kitchen knives)).
The Yamashina Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Sanenori YAMASHINA, the sixth son of FUJIWARA no Ienari.
Old families
The family business consisted of sho (a wind instrument), shozoku, (official clothing, (armorial insignia of clothes)) and (yusoku-kojitsu (knowledge of court rules, ceremony, decorum and records of the past)).
The Nishioji Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Takamasa NISHIOJI, the child of Takayuki SHIJO.
Old families
The family business consisted of calligraphy.
The Washio Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Takayoshi WASHIO, the third son of Takachika SHIJO.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance), (zenshu (cookery)) and (flower arrangement).
The Aburakoji Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Takakage ABURAKOJI, the child of Takamasa NISHIOJI.
Old families
The Kushige Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Takanori SHIJO (grandson of Kimito OGIMACHISANJO), another child considered to be Takamasa SHIJO's own, and Takanori's grandson Takatomo KUSHIGE started calling his family Kushige.
New families
The Hachijo Family: a side line of Shijo
The original forefather was Takahide HACHIJO, the second son of Takaga KUSHIGE.
New families
The Minase line of the House of Fujiwara North (five families)
The Minase Family: Minase direct line
The original forefather was Chikanobu BOMON, a descendant of FUJIWARA no Michitaka.
Old families
The Shichijo Family: a side line of Minase
The original forefather was Takanaga SHICHIJO, the child of Ujinari MINASE.
New families
The Machijiri Family: a side line of Minase
The original forefather was Tomohide MACHIJIRI, the second son of Kanetoshi MINASE.
New families
The Sakurai Family: a side line of Minase
The original forefather was Kanesato SAKURAI, the youngest son of Kanetoshi MINASE.
New families
The Yamanoi Family: a side line of Minase
The original forefather was Kanenao SAKURAI, the second son of Kanesato SAKURAI.
New families
The Takakura line of the House of Fujiwara North (two families)
The Horikawa Family: a side line of Takakura
The original forefather was Yasutane HORIKAWA, the child of Chikatomo MINASE (whose legal family name was Takakura).
New families
The Higuchi Family: a side line of Takakura
The original forefather was Nobutaka HIGUCHI, the child of Chikatomo MINASE (whose legal family name was Takakura).
New families
Uda Genji (three families)
The Niwata Family's forefather was MINAMOTO no Tsunesuke, the descendant of Prince Atsuzane.
Old families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance), calligraphy and flowers.
The Ayanokoji Family: a side line of Niwata
The original forefather was Nobuari AYANOKOJI, the child of Arimoto NIWATA.
Old families
The family business consisted of Biwa; Japanese lute, flute, Hichiriki flute, So; stringed instruments, Kagura; a musical dance, and (kemari (court-style football)).
The Ohara Family: a side line of Niwata
The original forefather was … OHARA (in fact, the child of Nobuyuki KATSURAOKA or Nakakata KATSURAOKA), another child considered to be Shigenaga NIWATA's own.
New families
The family business consisted of kagura (a musical dance).
The Murakami Genji clan (eight families)
The Rokujo Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Michiari ROKUJO, the fifth son of Michimitsu KUGA.
Old families
The Iwakura Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Tomotaka SAKURAI, the child of Harumichi KUGA.
Old families
The Chigusa Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Tadaaki CHIGUSA, the child of Michitada ROKUJO. Subsequently, the family line failed during the early Muromachi period. Arishige CHIGUSA, the fourth child of Tomotaka IWAKURA, re-established the family during the early Edo period.
New families
The family business consisted of (waka (Japanese poetry)).
The Higashikuze Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Michiyasu HIGASHIKUZE, the third son of Michikata KUGA.
New families
The Kuze Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Michishiki KUZE, the youngest son of Atsumichi KUGA.
New families
The family business consisted of (waka (Japanese poetry)).
The Umetani Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Suemichi UMETANI, the second son of Michiyo KUGA.
New families
The Atago Family: a side line of Nakain
The original forefather was Michifuku ATAGO, another child considered to be Michisumi NAKAIN's own (actually, Michifuku was the third son of Arikiyo, a child of Tomohiro SAKURAI).
New families
The Uematsu Family: a side line of Kuga
The original forefather was Masanaga UEMATSU, the youngest son of Arishige CHIGUSA.
New families
The family business consisted of flower arrangement.