Uji

Uji

• • See also: Court Titles, Imperial Titles, Provincial Titles, Be, Sesshō and Kampaku

The Uji (氏) were kinship groups, also at times known as shisei.² The origins of the title appear to be of korean linguistical descent and not a native term developed in Japan.³

Before the Nara Period they were extended familiy groups which included servants.¹² This system served to act as replacement to the older ujizoku system where only family from the direct line were included as part of the uji.¹

Traditionally the head of the uji was called the uji no kami with family members being the ujibito. Those that served them usually formed part of the group called Be.¹²

It was the role of the uji no kami to honor the families titulary kami, or ujigami.

The Yamato Court would bestow titles upon them known as kabane.¹ These titles were numerous and the one granted was dependant on the persons political role and social status.³

Prior to the Taika Reforms the uji system affected all parts of the Yamato States organisational structure.¹

At court the uji were broken into two classes. Those that were involved in the politics of court life, and those who were service nobility (tomo no miyatsuko).³

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
3. Borgen, R. (1975) “The Origins of the Sugawara. A History of the Haji Family”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.30 No.4 pp.405-422

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