Umetani Suemichi (梅渓季通)
Suemichi UMETANI (April 26, 1615 - March 5, 1658) was a kugyo (court noble) during the first half of the Edo period. He was the founder of the Umetani kuge (court noble) family, a branch line of the Koga family. He served the four emperors from Emperor Gomizunoo (the 108th) to Emperor Gosai (the 111th), and advanced to Sangi (councilor) at the rank of Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank). His father was Michiyo KOGA, Sakonoe no chujo (middle captain of the left division of inner palace guards). His mother is unknown. Hidemichi UMETANI, Gon Chunagon (provisional vice-councilor of state), was his son. The wife of Shigekiyo JINBO, a hatamoto (direct retainer of the bakufu, a form of Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), was his daughter (adopted by Katsuyuki MATSUDAIRA, the lord of the Tako Domain).
In 1624, he was conferred to a peerage. In 1629, he was appointed to a vice minister of Kageyushicho (office that check the records of out-going officials). In 1643, he was appointed to Sakonoe no shosho (minor captain of the left division of inner palace guards). In 1645, he was appointed to Sangi (councilor), becoming a kugyo. In the same year, he additionally assumed Sakonoe no chujo (post of middle captain of the left division of inner palace guards). In 1655, he resigned from Sangi.