Sodeoka Fumikage (袖岡文景)
Fumikage SODEOKA (August 28, 1799 - August 5, 1855) was a courtier of Jige-ke (the house of lower- ranked courtiers who were not allowed to enter the court) in the late Edo period. His original main name was TACHIBANA. He was a son of Kazukage SODEOKA and the father of Kagenori SODEOKA.
He succeeded to the family head as his father died in 1805. On June 20, 1808 he was appointed to Shorokuinoge Unemenosuke (Senior Sixth Rank, Lower Grade, Secretary of the division of the ancient court hostess). On February 15, 1816 he was appointed to Jugoinoge Genbanosuke (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade, assistant director of Ministry of Buddhism and Foreign Affairs). On February 19, 1824 he was promoted to Jugoinojo (Junior Fifth Rank, Upper Grade) and on February 28, 1832 to Shogoinoge (Senior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) which was the highest rank he ever achieved.
While working as a Jige official of Kurodo tokoro no shu (officials of the Court) and Kaminouza, he served as a kitchen staff for the Kajuji family. From 1839, he became a Zassho (or Karei: butler) and was in charge of domestic affairs, and he also served as a private tutor for Tsuneosa KASHUJI.
Fumikage left a dairy called "Yamashiro no Kuni Kyoto SODEOKA Genbanosuke Kaki" (The Family Chronicle of Genbanosuke SODEOKA in Kyoto, Yamashiro Province) (formerly owned by the Mitsui Bunko and currently housed in the National Institute of Japanese Literature), and the extant portions cover six years in total. The diary provides valuable information on the life of Jige officials as well as the management of the Tosho-ke (the hereditary lineage of Court nobles occupying relatively high ranks) in the Edo Period.