Muraji


Muraji was an ancient Japanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing that was reserved for the most powerful among the Tomo no Miyatsuko clans, which were clans associated with particular occupations. The muraji rivaled the rank of omi in political power and standing during much of the Kofun period and were frequently in conflict with them over political issues such as whether Buddhism should be accepted and issues of emperor succession. By tradition the muraji clans claimed descent from mythological gods and included such clans as the Ōtomo, the Nakatomi, the Mononobe and the Inbe.
Like the omi, the most powerful muraji added the prefix Ō to muraji and was referred to as Ōmuraji. Examples of Ōmuraji mentioned in the Nihon Shoki included Mononobe no Ikofutsu during the reign of Emperor Richū, Ōtomo no Muroya, Ōtomo no Kanamura, Mononobe no Me, Mononobe no Arakabi, Mononobe no Okoshi and Mononobe no Moriya.
When the kabane system was reformed into the eight kabane system in 684, a few of the powerful muraji of the time were given the kabane of ason, which ranked second under the new system, but most were given the kabane of sukune, which ranked third. Muraji itself was dropped to seventh in rank.

List of ''Ō-muraji'' (大連)