Kazanin Tadanaga (花山院忠長)

Tadanaga KAZANIN (1588 - November 6, 1662) was a court noble in the early Edo period. His final court rank was Jushiinojo Sakon e no Shosho (Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade, Lowest General of Sakon e Fu [Left Division of Inner Palace Guards]). He was the first son of the Kazanin family, FUJIWARA no Morozane line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan.

His father was Sadaijin (Minister of the Left) Sadahiro KAZANIN. His mother is unknown. Sadayoshi KAZANIN (Juichii Sadaijin [Junior First Rank, Minister of the Left]), who succeeded to the headship of the Kazanin family, was his younger brother. His sons include Sadatoshi NOMIYA (Shonii Gon Dainagon [Senior Second Rank, Provisional Chief Councilor of State]), who was the first head of the Nomiya family, and Kokai (Buddhist priest), a disciple of Tenkai, who was called Kokui no Saisho (literally Chancellor in Black, a priest having a strong influence on politics). His posthumous Buddhist name was Joya.

In 1609, he was exiled to Ezochi (current Hokkaido) for committing adultery with a court lady serving for the Emperor Goyozei (the Inokuma Incident). In the place of exile, he received kind treatment from the Matsumae clan and is said to have contributed to diffusion of the culture of Kyoto in Matsumae. In 1636, he was forgiven and became a Buddhist monk, and later in 1652 returned to Kyoto.

[Original Japanese]