Kawabata Sanefumi (河鰭実文)

Sanefumi KAWABATA (May 10, 1845 – July 16, 1910) was a court noble and a statesman active in the period since the end of the Edo period until the Meiji era. His father was Naidaijin (minister of the center) Sanetsumu SANJO; his mother was Noriko (or Kishi), a daughter of the lord of Tosa Domain Toyokazu YAMAUCHI. He was adopted by Konoefu (inner palace guard) Kinakira KAWABATA and he became the 25th family head of the Kawabata family. Kinmutsu SANJO and Sanetomi SANJO were his brothers; Kazuhime who was engaged to Toyoatsu YAMAUCHI, and Mine who was the lawful wife of Yoshikuni HOSOKAWA, were his sisters. His lawful wife was a daughter of Shosanmi Jibukyo (general official in charge of the ceremonial occasions at senior third rank) Yasutoshi KURAHASHI. He didn't have natural child, so he adopted Kimiatsu KAWABATA (a son of Kinakira KAWABATA) and Sanehide KAWABATA (a son of Sanetomi SANJO). He was raised to a viscount and Junii (junior second rank); he served as Genroin-Gikan (councilor of the Chamber of the Elders) and as Kizokuin-Giin (member of the House of Peers).

In the Boshin War, he served at Nishikinohata Bugyo (magistrate in charge of taking care of the imperial banners), and in April of 1868, he entered the Edo-jo Castle attending Imperial Prince Arisugawanomiya Taruhito. In 1870, he became Tokyo-fu Gonnosho Sanji (junior councilor of Tokyo Prefecture), later held important posts such as Naimu Gonnosho Shokikan (junior secretary of the department of home affair). In 1873, he went to England and studied; after coming home, he became Kazoku-kaikan Fukukanji (assistant secretary of the Nobility Hall). On July 16, 1910, he died at the age of 66.

[Original Japanese]