Otomo Ujiyasu (大友氏泰)

Ujiyasu OTOMO (1321-1362) was a military commander over the latter half of the Kamakura Period and the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan). He was the seventh family head of the OTOMO clan. His father, Sadamune OTOMO was the sixth family head (Ujiyasu was his fifth son). His mother was Sadatsune SHONI's daughter.

His childhood name was Chiyomatsumaru. His father, who was to revolt against the bakufu government in the face of death, let him succeed to the family estate in 1333 before he attacked Hidetoki HOJO (Hidetoki AKAHASHI) of Chinzei tandai (office of the military governor of Kyushu). It is said that his father gave the family estate to Ujiyasu, who was his fifth son, instead of Ujiyasu's older brothers who had all reached adulthood, because the father thought the government would possibly not be apt to confiscate the family estate from the little child Ujisaki even if he was defeated to death in the battle. In December of the same year, his father suddenly died in Kyoto and he officially became the head of the family, but as he was still young, his older brother, Sadatoshi OTOMO assisted him in governing. When ASHIKAGA Takauji disobeyed the Godaigo Emperor and fled to Kyushu, Ujiyasu helped him to fight back. Due to this contribution, after the Muromachi shogunate was established, he was appointed Shugo (military governor) of Hizen Province, Buzen Province, Hyuga Province as well as Bungo Province.

He died in 1362, passing on the family estate to his younger brother, Ujitoki OTOMO.

[Original Japanese]