Ato no Akafu (安斗阿加布)

ATO no Akafu is a person who lived during Japan's Asuka period, but his birth and death dates are not known. In the old Japanese kana syllabary, his name reads "ATO no Akafu," the same as in the modern kana syllabary. Ato's "kabane" name, a hereditary title which describes his family's relationship with the central government, was "Muraji." During the Jinshin War of 672, Ato took side of Oama no Miko (Prince Oama, who later became Emperor Tenmu), and became a messenger to mobilize troops from the Tokaido region.

The Ato clan was a family which belonged to the lineage of the Mononobe clan. Oama no Miko, who caused the Jinshin War, learned by June 26 that the Provinces of Mino and Ise decided to take Oama's side. Then, Prince Oama dispatched messengers from Kori no miyake (public office) in Asake no Kori in the Province of Ise to mobilize troops from the Tokaido and Tosando regions. YAMASHIROBE no Oda and ATO no Akafu were sent to the Tokaido region. They seem to have performed their assignment without failure. There are no other records about Ato.

[Original Japanese]