Shionoya Yasutomo (塩谷泰朝)

Yasutomo SHIONOYA (August 16, 1214 - January 20, 1279) was a busho (Japanese military commander) from Shioya County, Shimotsuke Province.

Personal Profile

Yasutomo was born an heir to Chikatomo SHIONOYA. He was the third head of the Shionoya clan. His court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) and he served as Minbu no taifu (Senior Ministerial Assistant of Popular Affairs) in Suo Province. He had sons named Moritomo SHIONOYA, Tomomune SHIONOYA, Tomomoto SHIONOYA, Shigetomo SHIONOYA, and a daughter who married Chikanari YOKOTA as seishitsu (legal wife).

Yasutomo served Kamakura bakufu and was promoted to hisashi ban (a person who keeps the night watch staying under the eaves of building), a member of banyaku that works as close advisors of Shogun on December 24, 1257, and June 17, the next year, he was ordered to accompany Shogun to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine where Tsurugaoka-Hojoe (the ritual for releasing living beings) was held. On August 9, 1263, he accompanied Imperial Prince Munetaka, Shogun of the period, and visited Kyoto. Yasutomo was known as a man of culture. His forty-two waka poems were chosen and included in "Utsunomiya Shin Wakashu"(the second collection of Utsunomiya group's poetry), the number of the poems was three times that of Chikatomo's (his father).

He died on December 7, 1278 (the lunar calendar) which was January 20, 1279 in the solar calendar. His kaimyo (posthumous Buddhist names) was Koshososhin Daizenjomon.

[Original Japanese]