The Seiwa Genji (清和源氏) is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto members, including Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate; and Ashikaga Takauji, the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, belonged to this line. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, also claimed descent from this lineage. The family is named after Emperor Seiwa, whose four sons and twelve grandsons founded the Seiwa Genji. Emperor Seiwa was father of Imperial Prince Sadazumi (貞純親王 Sadazumi Shinnō) (873–916), who was in turn the father of Minamoto no Tsunemoto (源経基) (894–961), one of the founders of the Seiwa Genji, from whom most Seiwa Genji members are descended. Many samurai families belong to this line and used "Minamoto" clan name in official records, such as the Ashikaga, Hatakeyama, Hosokawa, Imagawa, Mori, Nanbu, Nitta, Ogasawara, Ōta, Satake, Satomi, Shiba, Takeda, Toki and the Tsuchiya, among others. The Shimazu and Tokugawa clans also claimed to belong to this line.

Seiwa Genji
The emblem (mon) of the Minamoto clan, of which the Seiwa Genji were a branch
Parent house Minamoto clan
FounderSons/grandsons of Emperor Seiwa, e.g. Minamoto no Tsunemoto (源 経基)
Final rulerMinamoto no Sanetomo
Founding year10th century
Cadet branches

A group of Shinto shrines connected closely with the clan is known as the Three Genji Shrines (源氏三神社 Genji San Jinja).

Family tree

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The following family trees are a non-exhaustive listing of the Seiwa Genji and the clans that branched from the family.

Legend: Solid lines represent blood relationship; dashed lines represent adoptions. An asterisk indicates a monk (who would not have been allowed to retain the Minamoto name).

Emperor Seiwa's first five princes

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Descendants of Emperor Seiwa's first five sons
(Emperor Seiwa)
(Prince Sadaakira)(Prince Sadakata)(Prince Sadamoto)(Prince Sadahira)(Prince Sadayasu)
KunifuchiKanetadaKanenobuKunitadaKuniuzu
Shigeyuki

Prince Sadazumi's descendants

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Emperor Seiwa's other princes

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Family of Seiwa Genji
(Emperor Seiwa)
(Prince Sadatoki)(Prince Sadakazu)(Prince Sadazane)(Prince Sadayori)NagafuchiNagamichiNagamiNagayori
Tameyoshi(?)ShigemotoShigehiraShigekataMotosuke

Settsu Genji

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Yamato Genji

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Family of Seiwa Genji
Yorichika
YorinariYorifusaYoritōYorimoto
YoritoshiMutsu Ishikawa clan
Yori(kaze?)YoriharuYori(kage?)
Yoriyasu(several clans)(several clans)
Shinjitsu*
Genjitsu*
Jitsuben*
Jūren*

Kawachi Genji

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Yoshimitsu's descendants

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Mitsumasa's descendants

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Mitsuyoshi's descendants

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Family of Seiwa Genji
Mitsuyoshi
MitsukuniYukiyoriYorisue
Tamemitsu
Tametomo
TamehiraTameyoshiTamekuniTamezaneTamemotoTameuji
Chiku and Sengoku clans(several clans)Niyanagi and Natsume clans(several clans)Katagiri clan(several clans)

See also

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Citations

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General and cited references

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  • Sansom, George (1958). A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
  • Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & Co.