Korekata Aso was a son of Koresaki, whose family branched out from that of the Chief Priest of the Aso Grand Shrine, Higo Province (Kumamot oPrefecture). From the generation of his grandfather , his family was sympathetic towards the Shimazus who ruled Satsuma Province (Kagoshima Prefecture).
When Lord Yoshihisa Shimazu invaded Higo, he fought on his side and captured the castles of Aso and Masuki. With his headquarters at Yabe Castle, he called himself Chief Priest of the As o Shrine. At the advice of Nagayoshi Asano, however , he evacuated Yab e Castle and, the following year , he proceeded to Satsuma to depend on the Shimazus. Soon afterward he became a Buddhis t priest, calling himself Kokusai Genyo and devoting himself to literarypursuit. In 1596, he went to Kyot o and came in contact with noblemen and literati of the capital. He came home the following year . Genyo Nikki is his diary recording his doings during his itinerary, which is of great literary and historical value.
