Kira Yoshinaka

Kira Yoshinaka (吉良 義央^?, October 5, 1641 – January 30, 1703) was a kōke (master of ceremonies). His court title was Kōzuke no suke (上野介). He is famous as the adversary of Asano Naganori in the events of the Forty-seven Ronin. Although his name (義央) has been long pronounced as "Yoshinaka" especially in dramas and novels, Ekisui Rembeiroku (易水連袂録^?), written by an anonymous contemporary in 1703, recorded that his name was "Yoshihisa." Recent findings on Kaō marked on his own letter preserved in Kezō Temple (華蔵寺^?) confirmed that his real name should be read as "Kira Yoshihisa."

Born in 1641, he was the eldest son of Kira Yoshifuyu. His mother was a member of the high-ranking Sakai clan. On the death of his father in 1668, Yoshinaka became the 17th head of the household, inheriting lands evaluated at 4200 koku. His wife was from the Uesugi clan, and his eldest son was adopted by Uesugi Tsunakatsu, the head of the Dewa Yonezawa han, taking the name Tsunanori. Yoshinaka named his second son as his heir, but when that heir died, Yoshinaka adopted Tsunanori's second son, strengthening the connection between the Kira and the Uesugi.

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