Saionji Saneto (西園寺実遠)
Saneto SAIONJI (1434 - December 20, 1495) was a kugyo (court noble) and kajin (waka (a traditional Japanese poem of thirty-one syllables) poet) of the Muromachi period. He served two emperors, Emperors Gohanazono (hundred and second emperor) and Gotsuchimikado (hundred and third emperor), and he was promoted to Sadaijin (Minister of Right) with the rank of Juichii (Junior First Rank). His father was the Kinna SAIONJI, who had the title of Daijo-daijin (Grand minister of state). He had a child, Kinfuji SAIONJI, who had the title of Udaijin (Minister of Right).
He was given the Joshaku (conferring a peerage) in 1442. Afterwards, he was promoted at a fast pace as the head of the Seiga family (one of the highest court noble families in Japan at that time), served Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards) in Sanuki Province, and gained the rank of Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank) and came in lines with Kugyo in 1448. He was later assigned to be the Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), Dainagon (chief councilor of state), Konoefu (the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards), before being assigned as the Naidaijin (Minister of Center) in 1466. He gained the Juichii rank in 1467 and retired from the Naidaijin position. He was assigned as the Udaijin (Minister of Right) in 1481 and was promoted to Sadaijin in 1483 and served until 1487.
He read waka and books, and wrote the waka anthology, 'Shintsukubashu.'