Background
He was born into the prestigious Ōtomo clan.
大伴 家持
He was born into the prestigious Ōtomo clan.
His granduncle is possibly Ōtomo no Komaro who came to Japan in the time of Empress Jitō. The Ōtomo clan were warriors and bureaucrats in the Yamato Court, and Yakamochi served as a provincial governor in several provinces. In 738, he met Udoneri, and in 740 at the behest of Emperor Shōmu went to Kyūshū Daisaifu to suppress the rebellion of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu.
In 745 he became a jōgoika. In July of the following year, he became governor of Etchu Province, a post he lasted in until 751. By this time he was already the author of 220 waka.
In 751 he was promoted to shōnagon and returned to the capital. In 754 he was appointed military commander, and the following year concerned himself with the garrison at Namba, a time that is described in the Sakimori Songs Collection in the Man'yōshū. Yakamochi did not take part in the Tachibana no Naramaro rebellion.
Instead, he conspired with Fujiwara no Yoshitsugu, Isonokami Yakatsugu and Saeki no Imaemishi to plot the assassination of Fujiwara no Nakamaro. Afterwards, Yoshitsugu took sole responsibility for the affair, but due to suspicions about Yakamochi's involvement, he was transferred to the governorship of Satsuma Province. In 777 he rose to the governorship of Ise Province.
According to the records of the Ise Shrine, he served in this post for about five years. In 780 he was promoted to councillor. Fearing suspicion and banishment from the capital for aiding in Hikami no Kawatsugu's rebellion, he remained quiet and was promoted to chūnagon in 783.
He died by drowning in Mutsu Province while attending to his concurrent post as shogun. Soon after his death, Fujiwara no Tanetsugu was assassinated. Suspecting that Yakamochi was involved in the affair, his burial was denied and he was posthumously disgraced and excommunicated.
Of all poets represented in the anthology, he is the poet whose works are found in the greatest number-46 long poems, 425 waka and one sedolca (a variation of waka). Yakamochi's early poems were in the style of Yamanoue-no-Okura's and influenced by Sakanoe-no-Iratsume.
He is a member of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals (三十六歌仙, sanjūrokkasen).
He was born into the prestigious Ōtomo clan.