Minamoto no Nobumasa (源信雅)

MINAMOTO no Nobumasa (1079 - 1135) was a nobleman at the end of the Heian period. He was the sixth son of MINAMOTO no Akifusa, Murakami-Genji (Minamoto clan). His rank was Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) and he served as a Kokushi (an officer of local government) in Mutsu Province.

He first called himself Iesada. He was admitted to the court in 1093 when he entered the Meryo (the section taking care of the Imperial horses). When dengaku (ritual music and dancing in shrines and temples) was performed in 1096, he played the kotsuzumi (small hand drum) with MINAMOTO no Shigesuke and others. Between February and March 1098, he became Ushosho (Minor Captain of the Right Division of the Inner Palace Guards). In 1104, he became Jushiinoge (Junior Forth Rank, Lower Grade). He served as Kaga no kuni no suke (Assistant Governor of Kaga Province) for a long time and then became Mutsu no kami (Governor of Mutsu Province) in 1128. After that, he was reappointed for a second term, but died in 1135 while in office.

He served as Keishi (household superintendent) to FUJIWARA no Tadazane and is reported to have been his gay partner. "Fukego" (a collection of the sayings of FUJIWARA no Tadamitsu) contains a story where Tadazane compared the appearances of Nobumasa and Narimasa critically.

[Original Japanese]