Tachibana no Norimitsu (橘則光)

TACHIBANA no Norimitsu (965 - year of death unknown) was a government official who lived in the mid-Heian period. He was the first son of TACHIBANA no Toshimasa, who was Tachibanashi choja (chieftain of the Tachibana family). His younger brothers were TACHIBANA no Yukihira and TACHIBANA no Noritaka. His mother was Ukonni, who served as a wet nurse for Emperor Kazan. He was one of the husbands of Seishonagon and also was the husband of the mother of Priest Kocho, who was a poet.

After serving as Kurodo (Chamberlain), Shuri no suke (assistant officer of the Office of Palace Repairs), and Saemon no jo (third-ranked officer of the Left Division of Outer Palace Guards), he was sequentially appointed to Noto no kuni no kami (Governor of Noto Province), Tosa no kuni no kami (Governor of Tosa Province), and then Mutsu no kuni no kami (Governor of Mutsu Province). His position in the capital city was however low (Jushiinojo (Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade)) and he served as Zuryo (the head of the provincial governors) at the same time as Keishi (household superintendent) for FUJIWARA no Tadanobu. While he was depicted as a brave hero who overpowered robbers who attacked him in Chapter 3 of "Godansho" (the Oe Conversations, with anecdotes and gossip), Chapter 23-15 of "Konjaku Monogatari" (The Tale of Times Now Past), and Chapter 11 of "Uji Shui Monogatari" (a collection of the Tales from Uji), he was depicted as being a bit weak in Chapters 78 and 80 of "Makura no soshi" (the Pillow Book). One of his poems was published in "Kinyoshu" (the 360th poem). His name also appeared in Kotobagaki (captions) of poem number 1156 of "Goshuishu" (Goshui Wakashu).

[Original Japanese]