Minamoto no Yoshimitsu

A military commander in the late Heian period. He was called Shinra Saburo because he had his coming-of-age ceremony in front of the Shinra Myojin Shrine at Onjo-ji Temple. His father was Yoriyoshi, and his mother was the daughter of Kozukenosuke Taira Nogata, and Yoshiie's younger brother. He was known as a master of archery and horse riding. When he was serving as Sahyoe-no-jo in Kyoto, he learned that his older brother Yoshiie was struggling against Kiyohara Takehira and Iehira in Mutsu Province during the Gosannen War, helping Fujiwara Kiyohira. He applied to the Imperial Court to go and help, but his request was denied, so in 1087 (Kanji 1), he resigned from his position and rushed to join his older brother. Together with Yoshiie, he defeated Takehira and Iehira at Kanazawa Fortress and returned to Kyoto. After that, he served as Gyobu no Jo, Saemon no Jo, Hitachi no Suke, Kai no Kami, and other positions. During this time, he used his experience as a governor of the eastern provinces as an opportunity to expand his influence in the region and establish his base in Satake-go, Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture). Yoshimitsu was also good at playing the sho, and he took Tokitada Toyohara as his teacher and was given a fine instrument called Hashirimaro. However, when he went down to Mutsu Province, he took it with him, but when his teacher Tokitada saw him off at Osaka Pass, he was sad to say goodbye and did not return, so Yoshimitsu returned the fine instrument to Tokitada, worried that he would lose it on the battlefield.

[Oboroya Hisashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安後期の武将。園城寺(おんじょうじ)の新羅明神(しんらみょうじん)の社前で元服したところから新羅三郎と称した。父は頼義(よりよし)、母は上野介(こうずけのすけ)平直方(なおかた)の女(むすめ)で義家(よしいえ)の同母弟。弓馬の術の達人といわれた。左兵衛尉(さひょうえのじょう)に在任して京都にあったとき、後三年の役で兄の義家が陸奥(むつ)国において藤原清衡(きよひら)を助けて清原武衡(たけひら)、家衡(いえひら)らを相手に苦戦していることを知り、救援に赴くことを朝廷に申し出たが許されず、ために1087年（寛治1）官を辞して兄のもとへ馳(は)せ参じた。そして義家とともに武衡、家衡を金沢柵(かねさわのさく)に打ち破り京都に帰った。その後、刑部丞(ぎょうぶのじょう)、左衛門尉(さえもんのじょう)、常陸介(ひたちのすけ)、甲斐守(かいのかみ)などを歴任し、この間、東国の受領(ずりょう)経験を契機としてこの地に勢力を伸ばし常陸国（茨城県）の佐竹郷に本拠を構えた。また義光は笙(しょう)をよくしたが、豊原時忠(とよはらのときただ)を師とし、交丸(はしりまろ)とよばれる名器を授けられた。ところが陸奥国へ下向のとき、これを携行したが逢坂関(おうさかのせき)に彼を見送った師の時忠が別れを惜しんで帰らないので、義光は戦陣で名器を失うことを案じて、その名器を時忠に返したという。

［朧谷　寿］

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