This is a list of Japanese clans. The old clans (Gōzoku) mentioned in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki lost their political power before the Heian Period, during which new aristocracies and families, Kuge, emerged in their place. After the Heian Period, the samurai warrior clans gradually increased in importance and power until they came to dominate the country after the founding of the first shogunate. Ancient clan names There are ancient-era clan names called or . Imperial Clan The Imperial clan – descended from Amaterasu. Its emperors and clan members have no clan name but had been called "the royal clan" () if necessary. Four noble clans , 4 noble clans of Japan: Minamoto clan (源氏) – also known as Genji (源氏) or Genke (源家); 21 cadet branches of Imperial House of Japan. Daigo Genji (醍醐源氏) – descended from 60th emperor Daigo. Go-Daigo Genji (後醍醐源氏) – descended from 96th emperor Go-Daigo. Go-Fukakusa Genji (後深草源氏) – descended from 89th emperor Go-Fukakusa. Go-Nijō Genji (後二条源氏) – descended from 94th emperor Go-Nijō. Go-Saga Genji (後嵯峨源氏) – descended from 88th emperor Go-Saga. Go-Sanjō Genji (後三条源氏) – descended from 71st emperor Go-Sanjō. Go-Shirakawa Genji (後白河源氏) – descended from 77th emperor Go-Shirakawa. Juntoku Genji (順徳源氏) – descended from 84th emperor Juntoku. Kameyama Genji (亀山源氏) – descended from 90th emperor Kameyama. Kazan Genji (花山源氏) – descended from 65th emperor Kazan. Kōkō Genji (光孝源氏) – descended from 58th emperor Kōkō. Montoku Genji (文徳源氏) – descended from 55th emperor Montoku. Murakami Genji (村上源氏) – descended from 62nd emperor Murakami. Ninmyō Genji (仁明源氏) – descended from 54th emperor Ninmyō. Ōgimachi Genji (正親町源氏) – descended from 106th emperor Ōgimachi. Reizei Genji (冷泉源氏) – descended from 63rd emperor Reizei. Saga Genji (嵯峨源氏) – descended from 52nd emperor Saga. Sanjō Genji (三条源氏) – descended from 67th emperor Sanjō. Seiwa Genji (清和源氏) – descended from 56th emperor Seiwa; origin of many samurai clans. Kawachi Genji (河内源氏) – descended from Minamoto no Yorinobu; origin of Hitachi Genji (常陸源氏), Ishikawa Genji (石川源氏); and Kai Genji (甲斐源氏); famous for 3 Kamakura shōguns. Settsu Genji (摂津源氏) – descended from Minamoto no Yorimitsu; origin of Tada Genji (多田源氏), Mino Genji (美濃源氏) and Shinano Genji (信濃源氏). Yamato Genji (大和源氏) – descended from Minamoto no Yorichika. Uda Genji (宇多源氏) – descended from 59th emperor Uda; origin of Ōmi Genji (近江源氏). Yōzei Genji (陽成源氏) – descended from 57th emperor Yōzei. Taira clan (平氏) – also known as Heishi (平氏) or Heike (平家);