Kada no Azumamaro (荷田春満)
KADA no Azumamaro (February 3, 1669 - August 8, 1736) was a scholar of Japanese classical literature and a waka poet in the middle of the Edo period. He was born in Kyoto. He was also popularly known as Itsuki. His first childhood name was Nobumori, later changed to Azumamaro. His father Nobuaki HAKURA came from the shake (family of Shinto priests serving a shrine on a hereditary basis) of Fushimi Inari-jinja Shrine (present Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine) and assumed the post of administrator of the shrine. His mother Kaiko was a daughter of Fukao, a retainer of Tadaoki HOSOKAWA.
Studying Japanese classics and history, he advocated the fukko shinto (reform shinto (prominent 18th century form of Shinto, based on the classics, and free from Confucian and Buddhist influences)). As he laid the foundation of the study of "Manyoshu" (collection of poetries), "Kojiki" (Japanese oldest history book) and "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), he was respected as one of four savants in the study of Japanese classical literature along with KAMO no Mabuchi, Norinaga MOTOORI and Atsutane HIRATA.
Many of his writings were left unfinished because he fell ill halfway. His main work includes "Manyoshu hekiansho" (an annotated edition of the Manyoshu) and "Shunyoshu" (an anthology). Although Fushimi Inari-jinja Shrine planned to compile "Kada zenshu" (collection of the writings of KADA no Azumamaro) of seven volumes from 1928 to 1932 and "KADA no Azumamaro zenshu" (collection of writings of KADA no Azumamaro) of ten volumes in 1944, these plans were cancelled due to the circumstances at that time. Recently, as part of the memorial work for the 120th anniversary of Kokugakuin University, a project was started aiming to research the modern development in the study of Japanese classical literature and KADA no Azumamaro based on the historical sources, with the result that "Shinpen KADA no Azumamaro zenshu" (new collection of the writings of KADA no Azumamaro) of twelve volumes has been publishing.
KAMO no Mabuchi was his disciple. KADA no Arimaro was his adopted son.
Azumamaro-jinja Shrine in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, adjacent to the precincts of Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine is known by a god of studies, therefore Ema (a votive horse tablet) for praying the success in examination and folded-paper cranes are dedicated.