Origins & Early Life

Ōtomo no Yakamochi (大伴 家持; Japanese pronunciation: [oː.to.mo no (|) ja.kaꜜ.mo.tɕi], 2 April 718 – 1 May 785) was a Japanese statesman and waka poet in the Nara period. He was one of the Man'yō no Go-taika, the five great poets of his time, and was part of Fujiwara no Kintō's Thirty-six Poetry Immortals (三十六歌仙, sanjūrokkasen). Yakamochi was a member of the prestigious Ōtomo clan. Like his grandfather and father before him, Yakamochi was a well-known politician, and by Enryaku rose to the position of chūnagon (中納言), his highest bureaucratic position.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Yakamochi was born into the Ōtomo clan; his grandfather was Ōtomo no Yasumaro and his father was Ōtomo no Tabito. The Ōtomo clan were warriors and bureaucrats in the Yamato Court, and Yakamochi served as a provincial governor (国司, kokushi) in several provinces. He was the nephew of Ōtomo no Sakanoue no Iratsume, who was also poet and a favorite of Prince Hozumi. When Tabito died in 731, Yakamochi became the head of the Ōtomo family. In 738, he met Udoneri, and in 740 at the behest of Emperor Shōmu went to Dazaifu (Kyūshū) to suppress the rebellion of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 745 he achieved the rank of jōgoika (従五位下, "Junior...

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