Asukai Masakazu (飛鳥井雅量)
Masakazu ASUKAI (year of birth and death unknown) was a court noble in Japan. He was a poet and a kemari (Japanese ancient Imperial court game like kick-ball) specialist.
His go (pseudonym) was 'Isoe.'
Family Lineage
The Asukai family, a branch of the Nanba line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan, was the Urin family (the fourth highest family status for court nobles and holding military ranks) who specialized in waka poetry and kemari for generations. Masakazu's grandfather, Masayasu ASUKAI, had the title of Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) Sakone no shosho (Minor Captain of the Left Division of Inner Palace Guards) Gon Chunagon (Provisional Middle Counselor). His granduncle, Masachika ASUKAI, the Shonii Gon Dainagon (Senior Second Rank, Provisional Major Counselor), was famous as a poet and a calligrapher.
Personal Profile and Brief Personal History
He was born to Yoritaka ASUKAI. Masakazu was conferred Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) in September 1530, appointed as a jiju (chamberlain) in May 1532, and promoted to Jushiinoge Shosho (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, minor captain) afterwards. He was engaged in waka poetry and kemari, which were family traditions.
He entered into Buddhist priesthood later and called himself 'Isoe.'
Around the Tembun era, he went to Tosa Province to avoid uprisings in Kyoto, stayed at the (Tosa) Ichijo clan (his relatives), and later became a member of the five greatest families. Masakazu gave an illustration of the eight kemari steps and taught a secret kemari technique to Sadakatsu TSUNO. After the fall of the (Tosa) Ichijo clan he was invited to Oko-jo Castle, where he taught kemari to Motochika CHOSOKABE and his followers.