Onakatomi no Yorimoto (大中臣頼基)
ONAKATOMI no Yorimoto (c. 886 - c. 958) was a waka poet in the mid-Heian period. His father was Bingo no jo (an officer in Bingo) ONAKATOMI no Sukemichi, and his child ONAKATOMI no Yoshinobu was one of the Nashitsubo no Gonin (Five Gentlemen of the Pear Chamber). He is one of the Sanjurokkasen (36 Immortal Poets). The Onakatomi clan was a family lineage in charge of matters relating to Shintoism. Along with Yoshinobu, ONAKATOMI no Sukechika, and Ise no Taifu, Yorimoto was an originator of waka poems of the Onakatomi clan. He became, ultimately, a chief priest and Jushii Jingi taifu (Junior Fourth Rank, Senior Assistant Head of the Department of Shinto). As he enjoyed the deep confidence of the Emperor Uda, he presented poems in "Oigawa gyoko waka" (the Waka from the Sovereign's Excursion to the Oi-gawa River) and "Teijiin Uta-awase" (the poetry contest held in Teijiin).
In addition, he composed many poems such as byobu-uta (screen poems) and Gaka (Celebration Poetry). His waka poems were selected for chokusen wakashu (anthologies of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) starting when "Shui Wakashu" (Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poems) was compiled and onwards.
He privately compiled "Yorimoto shu."
Record of offices and ranks held
* Dates follow the old lunar calendar.
June, 923: Appointed to Jingishojo (junior judge of the institution dedicated to religious ceremony).
January, 927: Transferred to serve as Jingi gon no taijo (Judge of the institution dedicated to religious ceremony).
January, 933: Transferred to serve as Jingi gon no shofu (Provisional Junior Assistant Director of Divinities). October 7, 939: Also appointed to chief priest.
At that time, he was Jingisho shofuku Shorokuinojo (Junior Assistant Head of Ministry of Divinities, Senior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade).
January 7, 941: Promoted to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). January 7, 945: Promoted to Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade).
October, 945: Transferred to serve as Jingi taifu.
November 19, 946: Promoted to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade).
January 7, 951: Promoted to Jushiinoge. 958: Died. At that time, he was a chief priest and Jushiinoge rank, Jingi taifu.