Abe no Hirafu

• Period: Asuka Period
• Occupation: General, Governor
• Family: –
• Birth: c.575AD
• Death: 664AD

Abe no Hirafu

Abe no Hirafu (阿倍 比羅夫) was a member of the Abe Clan who lived during the mid 7th century.¹ Louis Frederick gives the period of his life from c.575-664.²

For a part of his life he was Governor of Koshi, at this time going by the name of Abe no Omi.²

He was a general and records from the nihongi show that during the reign of Emperor Saimei he was sent three times between 658 and 660 to subdue the Ezo People, with some believing he may have gone as far north as Hokkaido.¹ He is said to have had 180 ships for his attacks on the Ezo.²

In 663, under Emperor Tenji, he led a force to Paekche to help protect them from the invasions of Silla. His naval forces were eventually routed at the Battle of Hakusuhinoe.

He was later positioned in Dazaifu (Kyushu) in anticipation of retalitary invasion from the continent.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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