Hoshikawa no Maro (星川麻呂)

HOSHIKAWA no Maro (date of birth unknown - July 2, 680 in old lunar calendar) lived during the Asuka period of Japan.
According to the old Japanese syllabary characters, it is considered that his name had been pronounced as 'Foshikafa no Maro.'
His kabane (hereditary title) was Omi. He fought on the side of Oama no Miko (Prince Oama, later became Emperor Tenmu) in the Jinshin War of 672. He was given posthumously the rank of Daishi.

The Hoshikawa clan was a family whose name had been taken from a district, Hoshikawa, and the district is assumed to have been Hoshikawa, Yamabe County, Yamato Province. As for HOSHIKAWA no Maro, he is described in the article of July 2, 680 of "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan) that Shokinchu HOSHIKAWA no Omi Maro died and was given posthumously the rank of Daishi for his achievements in the year of Jinshin. Daishi was a relatively high rank among ranks given meritorious vassals of Jinshin, however there is no description of HOSHIKAWA no Maro in the article of the Jinshin War in Nihonshoki, therefore how well he had performed is unknown.

On May 7, 716, his son, HOSHIKAWA no Kuromaro was granted rice fields in recognition of his father's achievement. On January 26, 758, Daijokan (Grand Council of State) specified that HOSHIKAWA no Maro had produced the achievements of Chuko (3rd level of 4 level of inheritance rights of Koden) and his Koden (rice fields given to vassals or their families for their achievements) should be inherited by two generations, to define his Koden 4-cho (39672 square meters).

[Original Japanese]