Background

The Mononobe family was prominent from early times.

Career

Served at the Yamato court in the handling of military and policing duties.

Achievements

• Mononobe no Okoshi strongly criticized his rival at court, Otomo no Kanamura, also a member of a prominent family, for his handling of Korean affairs and managed to bring about the downfall of the entire Otomo family.

Religion

In 538 (the date is also given as 552), King Syongmyong of the Korean state of Paekche presented a Buddhist image and scriptures to the Japanese ruler, introducing Buddhism to Japan for the first time. Mononobe no Okoshi, declaring that the gods of Japan would be angered, strongly opposed the acceptance of the foreign religion, but another important minister of the court, Soga no Iname, accepted the image and other articles and, converting his home into a temple, paid them homage. Later, however, an epidemic broke out, and Okoshi, declaring to Emperor Kimmei that it was brought on by the anger of the gods, proceeded to burn the temple down.

Connections

His son Moriya continued the opposition to Buddhism and its patrons of the Soga family, but he and his family were finally wiped out by Soga no Umako.