Origins of Heian Aristocracy’s Golden Age
Ancient Clans’ Tumultuous Quest for Political Supremacy
In the Heian period, as exemplified by Murasaki Shikibu’s The Tale of Genji (源氏物語), we find a clear depiction of the aristocracy, marking the only era in Japanese history when nobles fully grasped political power. Understanding this rise and fall of aristocratic rule is essential, as it directly paved the way for the emergence of the samurai class.
So how exactly did the aristocracy come to prominence?
Similar to the rise of the samurai, the aristocracy’s ascent was not sudden but rooted deeply in historical movements dating back to ancient times. And crucially, the noble rise began from a single lineage—the Fujiwara clan (藤原氏).
Historically, from the Asuka period (592-710) through the Nara period (710-794), the Fujiwara clan rose rapidly as nobles deeply connected to the imperial family. Though the transition from ancient Japanese clans (氏族) to aristocracy can be difficult without familiarity, it is essential first to recognize that the Fujiwara clan originally descended from an ancient clan called the Nakatomi (中臣氏). Please keep in mind this key point, that the Nakatomi clan and Fujiwara clan belong to the same lineage. The Nakatomi were a prominent family rooted in mythological times, historically close to the imperial family, particularly entrusted with rituals for the emperor.
The ancestral deity of the Nakatomi clan is Amenokoyane (天児屋命). Amenokoyane appears in Japan’s earliest chronicles, the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, prominently featuring in the myth called “Ama-no-Iwato-gakure” (天岩戸隠れ), which involves the supreme deity Amaterasu (天照大御神), the ancestral deity of the imperial family. In this myth, Amenokoyane conducted critical rituals when Amaterasu secluded herself in a cave, plunging the world into darkness, to persuade her to emerge. It is essential to note that while Amaterasu is commonly associated as a solar deity (“symbol of the sun”) in Japan, this interpretation, although prevalent, is not entirely accurate. Amaterasu indeed embodies multiple layers of belief, and her explicit identification as a sun deity occurred much later. At the time, such a singular interpretation did not exist.