Nakahara no Chikayoshi

Nakahara no Chikayoshi (中原 親能, 1143 - January 25, 1209) was a Japanese court noble and shogunate official of the late Heian and early Kamakura period.

During the Genpei War, an arrest order was issued on Chikayoshi for anti-Taira clan activities, forcing him to flee Kyoto.

Chikayoshi worked together with Minamoto no Yoshitsune as court emissaries facilitating the smooth payment of taxes to the provincial governorates and manors.

At Masayori's Kyoto residence, Chikayoshi negotiated with the court nobles and planned a conspiracy against the Taira clan with Dohi Sanehira.

However, aside from civil service, he was also involved in military campaigns, and he continued his participation in the conspiracy plan while serving at the records office.

Chikayoshi's brother-in-law Ōe no Hiromoto was invited to Kamakura by Yoritomo because of the family connection, and was appointed administrator (bettō) of the records office in 1184.

[3] After the war against the Taira clan was over in 1185, Chikayoshi accompanied Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa in rain through the ceremony of drawing in the eyes of the Daibutsu.

[3] Chikayoshi was appointed Defense Commissioner of the West in 1195, and effectively ruled many manors in the provinces of Bungo, Chikuzen, Hizen, Hyūga, Ōsumi and Satsuma in Kyushu.

Chikayoshi was sent as the Magistrate of Public Affairs by the shogunate to Kyoto for negotiations and to take care of the three perpetrators Nakahara no Masatsune, Gotō Motokiyo and Ono Yoshinari.

Therefore, historian Seiichirō Seno argues that it is clear that the Ōtomo clan's major success in Kyushu stemmed from Yoshinao's adoptive (or foster) relationship with Chikayoshi.