Toyohara no Tokiaki (豊原時秋)
Toyohara no Tokiaki (1100 - year of death unknown) was a gakunin (player) of the late Heian Period. He was born with TOYOHARA no Tokimoto as his father.
The Toyohara clan represented one of the Raku families of Sanpo gakuso (organization of transmission of gagaku, ancient court music), and Tokiaki's grandfather Tokimitsu TOYOHARA and father Tokimoto were famous as the great masters of Sho (traditional Japanese wind instrument resembling panpipes). MINAMOTO no Yoshimitsu or "Shinra-Saburo" traveled east to support his older brother MINAMOTO no Yoshie in Gosannen no Eki (the Later Three Years' War) in 1087, but Tokiaki chased after and asked to accompany him to the battle on Mt. Ashigara in Sagami Province. Yoshimitsu was a Sho disciple of the late father of Tokiaki, Tokimoto, and inherited the secret Sho song, "Daijikichonyushi," but Tokiaki did not learn that song till then, as his father parted early from death. Yoshimitsu regretted the termination of a successor to pass on the secret music from his own death in a battle and gave the music to Toshiaki, asking him to pass it on. Tokiaki unwillingly accepted Yoshimitsu's persuasion and returned to the capital.
This was the anecdote seen in works such as "Kokon Chomonju"(Notable Tales Old and New) and is a well-known fine historical episode told to represent the spirit of those who passed down traditions. However, the theory that seems most probable is that Yoshimitsu in fact studied under Tokimitsu, and Tokimoto was the one who proceeded for the battle, who was one generation prior to Tokiaki as determined by his birth year, and the battle occurred at Osaka no Seki (the Osaka Barrier) rather than Mt. Ashigara.
Tokaki became Gakusho Koto (an office worker for the chamber of music) and spread his name in the way of hichiriki (small double-reed wind instrument). He served as Gagakujo (Secretary of the Bureau of Music) between 1152 to 1157. Even after the time of his child, TOYOHARA no Toshiaki, the Toyohara clan became gakunin that continued to serve the imperial court generation after generation.