Nakahara Clan (中原氏)
The Nakahara clan was a group of noble families sharing the same ancestor, which existed from ancient times to the early-modern times in Japan.
It is said that the clan was descended from Shikitsuhiko no Mikoto, the third prince of Emperor Annei. At first, they called themselves Tochi no obito (with 'obito' being "kabane," or hereditary title), but the Nakahara clan was established when Usho TOCHI (十市有象) and Ichu TOCHI (十市以忠) changed their name to Nakahara no sukune (with 'sukune' being newly introduced kabane) in 971 and was bestowed with "asomi" (higher kabane than sukune) in 974, thus becoming Nakahara no asomi. The Nakahara clan was specialized in Myobodo (the study of Codes) and Myogyodo (the study of Confucian classics) and maintained for a long time its status as the Kanmu(a provider of official services) family for the Imperial court by inheriting positions Daigeki (senior secretary in charge of official documents) and Shogeki (junior secretary in charge of official documents). During the Medieval Period, members of the clan such as NAKAHARA no Chikayoshi came to have contacts with the Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun).