was a Japanese daimyō of the Edo period. He served in a variety of positions in the Tokugawa shogunate, including Kyoto Shoshidai (1734–1732)Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779–1822, p. 241 n77. and rōjū.Screech, p. 114.
In culture At some point, there was a devastating fire in Heian-kyō while Toki Tango-no-kami held the office of Kyoto shoshidai. Shortly afterwards, a clever poem which included a play on the shoshidai'''s name was widely circulated:Toki mo tokiTango no gogatsuban nikaji dashiteEdo e shiretariyaMi-shoshi senban.Screech, pp. 113–114. A conventional English translation (Frederic Shoberl, 1822): "Such is the time at present: a fire broke out in the fifth night of the fifth month. When the news shall have reached Edo, there will be numberless applicants who will harass you without ceasing." A more literal English translation (Timon Screech, 2006): At this very time On Tango's evening Fire broke out Edo was informed For the noble governor Much [trouble].Screech, p. 242 n78.
The 18th century poet was Kazehaya Yoshizane, who puns "Tango" (Tango no sekku), one of the five main festivals of the year (falling on the 5th day of the 5th month), with the daimyo's toponym, "Tango" (Tango Province). Poetry of this sort was an element of popular culture in this period. Witty and timely word play which somehow married puns on a personal name with a current event became fashionable. It could engender broad public approval, and occasionally such poetry might even receive approbation from the emperor.
Notes
References Bolitho, Harold. (1974). Treasures Among Men: The Fudai Daimyo in Tokugawa Japan. New Haven: Yale University Press. ; OCLC 185685588 Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779–1822''. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ' OCLC 635224064