Fumi no Kusuri (書薬)
FUMI no Kusuri is a person who lived in the Asuka Period, but his birth and death dates are not known. In old Japanese syllabary characters, his name reads FUMI no Kusuri, the same as modern syllabary characters.
Fumi's kabane (hereditary title) is 'atai.'
In the Jinshin War in 672, FUMI no Kusuri was chosen as a messenger to mobilize troops for Otomo no Oji (Prince Otomo, who later became Emperor Kobun), but was caught by the enemy.
Fumi family is one of the clans whose origin is immigrants to ancient Japan. When Oama no Miko (Emperor Tenmu) raised an army against the Imperial Court in June 672, the Court at Omi no miya dispatched messengers to the regional allies, ordering to mobilize troops to suppress. To the eastern regional allies, INA no Iwasuki, FUMI no Kusuri, and OSHISAKA no Omaro were sent. They reached at the Fuwa-no-seki checking station in the Province of Mino at night on June 26. The Province of Mino had already been on the side of Oama no Miko by then, but it is not clear whether the three messengers knew the fact. FUMI no Kusuri and OSHISAKA no Omaro were interrupted their behind by the ambushes of the enemy, and were eventually caught. INA no Iwasuki, who had been following Fumi and Oshisaka with a distance, returned when he saw the accident of Fumi and Oshisaka.
According to a report on the accident by Takechi no Miko to Oama no Miko next day, Fumi and Oshisaka were reported to have spoken as follows when they were questioned.
We are colleagues of INA no Iwasuki who was dispatched to deliver a message to the eastern region provinces to raise troops, concerning the brother of the Emperor in Yoshino.'
However, Iwasuki turned his back and fled when we were ambushed.'
The brother of the Emperor means Oama no Miko.
There are no records on FUMI no Kusuri after the incident. Fumi is believed to have been among those pardoned after the end of the Jinshin War.