Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 4.djvu/25

 Immediately below the Throne stood four princely families—Fushimi, Arisugawa, Katsura, and Kwan-in—exclusively privileged to supply an Imperial heir in the event of failure in the direct line of succession. After them ranked the general body of the Kuge (Court nobles), headed by five specially distinguished families in which the great offices of state were hereditary. These five families—Konoye, Kujō, Nijō, Ichijō, and Takatsukasa—were called Gosekke. From them alone men might be taken to serve as "Regent" during the sovereign's ministry and as "Lord Chancellor" during his reign. Next to these five families came nine "pure houses" (seiga) —Sanjō, Saionji, Tokudaiji, Kazan-in, Oi-no-mikado, Kuga, Kikutei, Hirohata, and Daigo—whose scions enjoyed the exclusive right of serving as ministers of state. Such distinctions had not much practical value under the feudal system, when all administrative functions were withdrawn from the sovereign's Court and transferred to that of the Shōgun. The Kwampaku (Lord Chancellor) alone, being the chief avenue of access to the Throne, continued in all ages to possess some influence. But the holders of these traditionally exalted offices were always objects of popular reverence.

In many families of the Court nobility certain accomplishments were hereditary; as caligraphy in the houses of Shimizutani and Jimyoin,