Ato no Chitoko (安斗智徳)
ATO no Chitoko (year of birth and death unknown) was a person of the Asuka Period in Japan. His surname can also be written as '阿刀' in Chinese characters. The reading of his name (Ato) is the same in the old Japanese syllabary characters. His kabane (hereditary title) is Muraji, later to become Sukune (the highest of the eight hereditary titles). Under the orders of Prince Oama during the Jinshin War in 672, he wrote 'The Diary of ATO no Chitoko' after the War.
The Ato clan belonged to the line of the Mononobe clan.
On July 27th of the year of Mizunoe-Saru (one of the Oriental Zodiac signs), Prince Oama who had retreated to Yoshinomiya Imperial House, decided to declare war against the Imperial Court of Omi and departed for Togoku where his troops had gathered. During this time, his wife and children, 20-odd toneris (palace servant), and more than a dozen court ladies left with him. ATO no Muraji Chitoko was among the toneris, but there are no records as to what role he fulfilled in the War that proceeded afterwards.
After the War, Chitoko wrote "The Diary of ATO noChitoko," and a tiny portion from the diary was quoted by "The Shaku Nihongi" (the annotated text of the Nihon Shoki). This so-called diary is thought to be the equivalent of a memoir in our present time. There are many historians who think that the events recorded by Chitoko and other participants served as the material sources of the Jinshin War when the writers of the Nihon Shoki were composing its passage.
On January 15th, 685, ATO no Muraji as well as 50 other clan members were given the kabane of Sukune.
On February 11th, 708, Shorokuinojo (Senior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade) ATO no Sukune Chitoko was promoted to Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). Apart from the aforementioned, nothing else is known about Chitoko.