The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan, and the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. The Main Lineage (sōke, 宗家) were Lords (daimyō) of the Hiroshima Domain in Aki Province and another famous branch family were Lords of the Akō Domain in Harima Province associated with the story of the Forty-seven rōnin. Their inherited character is "長". The family came to prominence when the sister of Asano Nagamasa married Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After the Meiji Restoration and the abolition of the han system, the Asano clan became part of the new nobility. Origins The Asano clan are a branch the Toki clan (土岐氏) who descend from Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光) of the Seiwa Genji (清和源氏). The Toki clan's main residence was in the Toki District (土岐郡) of Mino Province from which they took their name. Minamoto no Mitsuhira (源光衡) was the third son of Minamoto no Mitsunaga (源光長) who was killed in battle during the Genpei War. His uncle Minamoto no Mitsumoto (源光基) adopted him and he founded the Toki clan becoming Toki Mitsuhira (土岐光衡). His first son Toki Mitsuyuki (土岐光行) continued the clan but his second son Toki Mitsutoki (土岐光時) took the name Asano and became founder of the Asano clan. He resided at Asano, Toki district (Mino province) and took the name of the place. Seiwa-tennō (清和天皇, 850–878) ┃ Sadazumi-shinnō (貞純親王, 873–916) ┃ Minamoto no Tsunemoto (源經基, 894–961) ┃ Minamoto no Mitsunaka (源満仲, 912?–997) ┃ Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光, 948–1021) ┃ Minamoto no Yorikuni (源頼国, ?–1058?) ┃ Minamoto no Kunifusa (源国房, ?–1119) ┃ Minamoto no Mitsukuni (源光国, 1063–1148) ┃ Minamoto no Mitsunobu (源光信, 1093?–1145) ┃ Minamoto no Mitsunaga (源光長, ?–1184) ┃ Toki Mitsuhira (土岐光衡, 1159–1206) ┃ Asano Mitsutoki (浅野光時, ?–?) Asano Nagamasa (1546-1611) He was the son of Yasui Shigetsugu, Lord of Miyago castle (Owari province), a descendant of Hatakeyama Iekuni, Shugo (Governor) of Kawachi province, descending from Ashikaga Yoshikane (1154-1199) of the Seiwa-Genji. Yoshikane was the third son of Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, also called Ashikaga Yoshiyasu (1127-1157), founder of the Ashikaga clan, grandson of the Chinjufu-shōgun (Commander-in-chief of the defense of the North) Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039-1106), and a descendant of the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. Nagamasa was adopted by his maternal uncle, Asano Nagakatsu, Lord of Asano castle, younger brother of his mother, and succeeded him as the fourteenth head of the Asano clan. Until Nagakatsu,