{{Short description|Japanese noble family}}
thumb|{{nihongo|'''Amabe clan genealogy'''|海部氏系図|Amabe-shi Keizu|}} a national treasure '''Amabe clan''' Is a Japanese clan associated with Kono Shrine, which they have run since the Kofun period.<!--original source text from Kono Shrine *{{nihongo|'''Amabe clan genealogy'''|海部氏系図||}}, early Heian period, it is considered the oldest family tree in Japan.The clan claims descent from Amenohoakari, and served as at the ''kuni no miyatsuko'' of Tanba Province before it was divided into Tamba and Tango.The document records 82 generations of descent from Amenohoakari. It was designated a National Treasure in 1972.--><ref name="Bunka1">{{cite web |title=海部氏系図 |trans-title=Amebe shikeizu |url=https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/201/777 |accessdate=August 20, 2020 |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |language=Japanese}}</ref>
The clan was originally the Kuni no miyatsuko or provincial governors of Tanba Province but after the abolition of the role they took on a priestly role at Kono Shrine,<!--original source text from Kono Shrine *{{nihongo|'''Amabe clan genealogy'''|海部氏系図||}}, early Heian period, it is considered the oldest family tree in Japan.The clan claims descent from Amenohoakari, and served as at the ''kuni no miyatsuko'' of Tanba Province before it was divided into Tamba and Tango.The document records 82 generations of descent from Amenohoakari. It was designated a National Treasure in 1972.--><ref name="Bunka1" /> they share this history with the Izumo clan of Izumo-taisha, the Aso clan of Aso Shrine, the Owari clan of Atsuta Shrine, the {{ill|Munakata clan|ja|宗像氏}} of Munakata Taisha,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-01 |title=Kuni no miyatsuko {{!}} 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム |url=https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/?id=8839 |access-date=2023-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101031652/https://d-museum.kokugakuin.ac.jp/eos/detail/?id=8839 |archive-date=2023-11-01 }}</ref> and the Yamato clan of Ōyamato Shrine.
== Genealogy == The {{nihongo|Amabe clan genealogy|海部氏系図|Amabe-shi Keizu|}} is a famous document housed at Kono Shrine. It is from early Heian period, it is considered the oldest family tree in Japan. The clan claims descent from Amenohoakari, and served as at the ''kuni no miyatsuko'' of Tanba Province before it was divided into Tamba and Tango. The document records 82 generations of descent from Amenohoakari. It was designated a National Treasure in 1972.<ref name="Bunka1" />
In ''Shinsen Shōjiroku'', the descendants of Amatsuhikone, Ame-no-hohi, and {{ill|Amanomichine|ja|天道根命}}, together with the descendants of Amenohoakari are referred to as ''Tenson-zoku''. The ''Tenson-zoku'' descended from Takamagahara (Plain of High Heaven) to Owari and Tanba provinces, and are considered to be the ancestors of Owari clan, {{ill|Tsumori clan|lt=Tsumori|ja|津守氏}}, Amabe clan, and {{ill|Tanba clan|lt=Tanba|ja|丹波氏}} clans.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hanawa |first=Hokiichi |url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/959773242 |title=Shinsen Shōjiroku (新撰姓氏錄) |date=1983 |publisher=Onkogakkai |location=Japan |oclc=959773242}}</ref>
However, Toshio Hoga argues that ''Amabe clan genealogy'', which records these four clans as descendants of Amenohoakari, is a forged document,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoga |first=Toshio |title=Kokuho「Amabe-shi Keizu」he no gimon, Kokigi no Heya (国宝「海部氏系図」への疑問 古樹紀之房間) |year=2006 |location=Japan}}</ref> and that these clans actually descended from the sea deity Watatsumi. In addition, Owari clan's genealogy includes the great-grandson of Watatsumi, Takakuraji, as their ancestor, and he argues this is the original genealogy.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hoga |first=Toshio |title=Tango no Amabe-shi no Shutsuji to sono ichizoku, Kokigi no Heya (丹後の海部氏の出自とその一族) |year=2006 |location=Japan}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Japanese clans Category:Kuni no miyatsuko families Category:Shake clans