Yotsutsuji Yoshinari (四辻善成)
Yoshinari YOTSUTSUJI (1326-October 8, 1402) was a kuge (aristocrat), academia, and kajin (poet for Japanese poetry), who lived between the Northern and Southern Courts period and mid-Muromachi period. His go (title) was Shoganji Sadaijin. His father was Prince Songa. His grandfather was Imperial Prince Yoshimune. His great-grandfather was the Emperor Juntoku.
He was the descendant of Emperor Juntoku, and each generation received the go of 'Yotsutsuji no miya.'
His younger sisters were the wife of KI no Tsusei, who was the Shikan (祀官) of Iwashimizu Hachiman-gu Shrine, Chisen Shotsu and her daughter, Yoshiko (KI no Yoshiko) became the birth mother to Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA and Mitsuakira ASHIKAGA. He received the last name of Juntoku Genji (Minamoto clan) and left the imperial family in 1356. He was adopted by Yoshimoto NIJO, who had the title of Kanpaku (chief advisor to the Emperor) and received his protection. He became the Gon Dainagon (Provisional Chief Councilor of State) in 1370. He became the Sadaijin (minister of the left) by gaining the support from Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA, who had the title of Seii Taishogun (literally, "great general who subdues the barbarians"), and Yoshimasa (Yoshiyuki) SHIBA, who had the title of Kanrei (Shogunal Deputy), and he eventually became the priest. His Homyo (Dharma Name) was Josho (常勝). Although he wished to be given the title of Imperial Prince when he became the priest ("Koryaku" (diary of Tsunetsugu ICHIJO)), he could not achieve it due to opposition from Yoshiyuki SHIBA.
He was known as the kajin and Japanese classics scholar and received training from TANBA no Tadamori, who was a scholar of the Kawachi school of Minamoto clan and the kajin of the Nijo school (of poetry) when he was young. He was in high demand by ministers and shogun to people of the local district for his lectures on Japanese classics and presented the Kakaisho, which was the annotation of 'Genji Monogatari' (Tale of Genji) under the pen name of 'Shorokuinojo Monogatari Hakushi MINAMOTO no Iryo' (MINAMOTO no Iryo, who was a scholar of stories holding the rank of Shorokuinojo (Senior Sixth Rank, Upper Grade)) during Shoji (1362-1368) years. Kakaisho is considered to have the highest quality among the old annotations of the Tale of Genji.
In addition, the document that contained the secret story about the Minamoto clan was 'Sangohisho.'
Chidorisho' were lectures by Yoshinari that started in 1387 and were recorded by Sosuke (Dojo) HIRAI, who was the servant of the Ouchi clan.
His Japanese poems were collected even within 'Fuga Wakashu' (Collection of Japanese Poetry of Elegance, 17th imperial anthology), one of the chokusen wakashu (poems collected by emperors).