Sugawara no Koreyoshi

Sugawara no Koreyoshi 菅原是善
Illustration by Kikuchi Yōsai, from Zenken Kojitsu
Father	Sugawara no Kiyotomo
Born	812
Died	October 11, 880

Sugawara no Koreyoshi (菅原 是善, 812 – October 11, 880) was a Japanese noble and scholar of the early Heian period. He was the fourth son of Sugawara no Kiyotomo. He reached the court rank of ju san-mi (従三位) and the position of sangi.

Koreyoshi was said to be intelligent and wise from a young age, reading books and composing poetry before Emperor Saga from the age of 11.

In 835 he became a top-ranked student of Chinese literature in the Daigaku-ryō, and in 839 he passed an examination for governmental service and was promoted a full three steps at once, from ju roku-i no ge (従六位下) to shō roku-i no jō (正六位上). He held administrative positions in the Daigaku-ryō and as chief draftsman and editor (大内記) in the Ministry of the Center, and in 844 was again promoted to ju go-i no ge (従五位下). In 845, he became a teacher in the Daigaku-ryō. While in this role, he also served as vice-governor of Echigo Province and Sanuki Province, and as a tutor to Crown Prince Michiyasu, the future Emperor Montoku.

In 850, Emperor Montoku took the throne, and Koreyoshi was promoted to shō go-i no ge (正五位下). Continuing his work as a teacher, he also worked as the head of the Daigaku-ryō, director of the Capital (左京大夫), and governor of Kaga, Mimasaka, Ise, and Bizen provinces. In 855, he was awarded the rank of ju shi-i no ge (従四位下).