Taira no Tokinori (平時範)

TAIRA no Tokinori (1054 - 1109) was a middle-ranking court official in the later Heian period. He reached Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), and he assumed various positions, such as Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain), Benkan (an official of Grand Council of State), Kebiishi (Police and Judicial Chief), and Inaba no kami (the governor of Inaba Province). He came from the Prince Takamune's line of Kanmu-Heishi (Taira clan), and his father was TAIRA no Sadaie. His mother was the daughter of FUJIWARA no Ieto. His son was TAIRA no Sanechika.

He served as Keishi (the household superintendent) of FUJIWARA no Moromichi. He is said to have been excellent not only in Buddhist painting but also in writing. His diary "Tokinori-ki" exists today, which recorded the situation of Inaba Province when he visited there as its governor in 1099, so the diary is a precious historical source that enables us to know about things at that time, such as the activities of Zuryo (the head of the provincial governors) and the circumstances of Inaba Province. In 1108, he became a Buddhist priest and was given the Buddhist name of Joe, and he passed away the next year.

[Original Japanese]