Kira Yoshinaka

Kira Yoshinaka was a kōke. 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 rōnin. 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."