Utsunomiya Souen

...A powerful clan in the Middle Ages in Shimotsuke Province. There are various theories about their origins, including the Shimotsukenu clan, the Nakahara clan, and the Fujiwara clan. According to family tradition, they were descendants of the chief priest Fujiwara Kamatari and descended from the regent Fujiwara Michikane, whose great-grandson Soen went to Shimotsuke Province during the Battle of Zenkunen and became the head priest of Utsunomiya. They inherited the position of chief priest of Shimotsuke Ichinomiya and had influence in the central part of Shimotsuke Province, and Soen's grandson Asatsuna belonged to the Taira clan and even served as a northern guard to Emperor Goshirakawa. Asatsuna later followed Minamoto no Yoritomo and achieved military success in various places, and was granted the position of shrine administrator in Utsunomiya, laying the foundation for the development of the Utsunomiya clan.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Utsunomiya Soen" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…中世の下野国の豪族。出自については，下毛野（しもつけぬ）氏，中原氏，藤原氏など諸説がある。家伝では大織冠藤原鎌足の後裔で関白藤原道兼の流れをくみ，道兼の曾孫宗円が前九年の役のとき下野国に下向し，宇都宮座主となったのにはじまるという。下野一宮の神主を世襲して下野国中央部に勢力をもち，宗円の孫朝綱は平氏に属し，さらに後白河院の北面をつとめたとされる。朝綱はのちに源頼朝に従って各地で戦功をあげ，宇都宮社務職を安堵されて宇都宮氏発展の基礎を築いた。…

※「宇都宮宗円」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報