Nakanoin Michishige (中院通茂)
Michishige NAKANOIN (May 14, 1631 - April 19, 1710) was a Kugyo (court noble) during the early and middle of the Edo period. He was a retainer of the Imperial Court who served five emperors: Empress Meisho (109th), Emperor Gokomyo (110th), Emperor Gosai (111th), Emperor Reigen (112th) and Emperor Higashiyama (113th), and was promoted to Juichii Naidaijin (Junior First Rank, Minister of the Center). He is also well known as a kajin (waka poet). His father was Michizumi NAKAIN, Gon Dainagon (Provisional Chief Councilor of State). His mother was a daughter of Nagayoshi TAKAKURA, Gon Dainagon (Provisional Chief Councilor of State). His wife was a daughter of Masanobu OGASAWARA, the lord of Koga Domain and Sekiyado Domain (an adopted daughter of Shigenori ITAKURA). His sons were Michimi NAKANOIN, Udaijin (Minister of the Right), Sadamoto NONOMIYA, Gon Chunagon (Provisional Vice-Councilor of State), and Michinatsu KUZE, Gon Dainagon (Provisional Chief Councilor of State).
He was conferred a peerage in 1632. After serving as Jiju (Imperial Household Agency staff), Ukone no Gon no Shosho (Provisional Minor Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), and Sakone no Gon no Chujo (Provisional Middle Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards), he was appointed to Jusanmi Sangi (Junior Third Rank, Councilor) in 1655 and joined Kugyo (court noble). He undertook the position Gon Dainagon in 1660. He became Jingutenso (shrine messenger to Emperor) in 1661. In 1671, he resigned his position of Gon Dainagon. He became Buke tenso (liaison officers between the imperial court and the military government) in 1674, but resigned his post the following year. He became Naidaijin (Minister of the Center) in 1704, but resigned in three days. He was conferred the post of Juichii (Junior First Rank) in 1705.
He was knowledgeable in a wide range of fields such as the art of versification, Yusoku-kojitsu (knowledge of court rules, ceremony, decorum and records of the past), calligraphy, and music, and become a disciple of Banzan KUMAZAWA togther with his younger brother, Sadayori NONOMIYA. He was one of Banzan's big four (shitenno) disciples. It is said that Shissai MIWA, a scholar of Mitogaku (the scholarship and academic traditions that arose in the Mito Domain), and Sena, kajin (waka poet), studied waka (Japanese poetry) under Michishige. He had a close relationship with Mitsukuni TOKUGAWA, the lord of Mito Domain.