Nakahara Morokazu (中原師員)
Morokazu NAKAHARA (1184 - July 19, 1251) was a person during the Kamakura period. Morokazu was from the family of Sadachika line of the Myogyodo-Nakahara clan that produced OE no Hiromoto (before he changed his name, he was NAKAHARA no Hiromoto); and Morokazu's father Moroshige was a cousin of NAKAHARA no Chikayoshi (later, he changed his name to FUJIWARA no Chikayoshi) and OE no Hiromoto. It is considered that, due to the relationship, he went down to Kamakura and became a member of the first Council of State during the days of Yasutoki HOJO.
In 1231, he was appointed Major Secretary in the Council of State at the appointment ceremony in spring, and appointed to the governor of Settsu Province in June in the same year immediately after the ceremony.
In the entry for the 26th day of the 12th month of the 2nd year in the Katei era in the lunar calendar (corresponds to January 31, 1237), it is described 'A record of the appointment ceremony held on 18th arrived. Yasutoki HOJO was concurrently appointed Left City Acting Commissioner. Morokazu was appointed Head of the Bureau of Taxation.'
After the death of a cosigner of the shogunal regent Tokifusa HOJO, Morokazu signed edicts from the Administrative Board next to the signature of Yasutoki HOJO.
Morokazu NAKAHARA served as an aide to the shogun FUJIWARA no Yoritsune, functioning as an intermediary for Kyoto and Kamakura, for Councilors of the Council of State and the Administrative Board, and as the reward magistrate, functioning as an intermediary for the shogunal regent and the shogun--Here, it is proved that he was originally expected to keep neutral between the shogunal regent and the shogun. Because of that, he kept being the central figure in the government through the Palace Disturbance, without got involved in the incident like FUJIWARA no Sadakazu nor being suspected like Mototsuna GOTO; also his son NAKAHARA no Morotsura was active as the Intendant of the Shogunal Palace for Prince Munetaka and a member of the Council of State, established the family line as the family inheriting secretary official positions in the center of the government and as to be called the Settsu clan at the end of the Kamakura period. As Morokazu and his son Morotsura frequently appear in a chronicle of the Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) "Azumakagami" with their real names, it is highly possible that the compiler of "Azumakagami" used their diaries and records as source materials.
Although Morokazu is described as Terutane TAKABA and as constructed Takabajo Castle in some documents, 'castle' in those days only meant a temporary barricade used during war and not a permanent facility as 'castle' in the later ages meant.