Yoshikawa Koretari (吉川惟足)
Koretari YOSHIKAWA (1616 - January 1, 1695) was a Japanese Shintoist in the early Edo period. His first given name was Motonari and also called himself Koretari or Yoritoki later on. He also called himself Gorozaemon AMAGASAKIYA and had such alias as Aremido, Sozan Inzan, and Soinshi. He founded Yoshikawa Shinto.
His surname is alternatively read 'Kikkawa' and his name 'Koretaru.'
He was born into a samurai family. He was however adopted out to a fishmonger in Nihonbashi, Edo (Chuo Ward, Tokyo Prefecture) to succeed his family business. He retired in Kamakura as his business did not go well. In 1653 he went to Kyoto where he became a disciple of Kaneyori HAGIWARA. Having been educated in the oral teachings of Yoshida Shinto, he started a new school of Shinto. He then returned to Edo. He gained the confidence of Seitaishogun Ietsuna TOKUGAWA as well as great daimyo like the Kishu Tokugawa family, the Maeda family in Kaga Province and the Matsudaira family in Aizu. In 1682 he was appointed as head of the Shinto Section in the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Yoshikawa lineage has since been appointed to the post.