Kikuchi clan

Kikuchi clan 菊池
The emblem (mon) of the Kikuchi clan
Home province	Higo.
Parent house	Fujiwara clan (藤原氏) (claimed) Minamoto clan (源氏) (other theory) Gwisil clan (Baekje) (other theory) Ki clan (紀氏) (other theory)
Titles	Various
Founder	Kikuchi Noritaka (purported)
Final ruler	Kikuchi Yuriko
Founding year	1070 (purported)
Dissolution	1554
Ruled until	1554, invasion by Ōtomo Sōrin
Cadet branches	Akahoshi clan Jô clan Saigo clan

The Kikuchi clan (菊池氏, Kikuchi-shi) of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion of northern Kyūshū in 1019 and rose to prominence during the Mongol invasions of Japan when the heroism of Kikuchi Takefusa helped drive back the enemy. The Kikuchi was active in the Kenmu Restoration (1333-1336), an attempt by the emperor Go-Daigo to reassert imperial authority against the Kamakura shogunate.^[1]

The Kikuchi clan claimed descent from the Fujiwara clan.^[2] It is questioned as a Korean Baekje origin Buddha statue found in their origin site is the same type of Buddha statue belonged to Kikuchi clan, and as the statue was made before Fujiwara clan existed, it's believed that Kikuchi clan was maybe older than Fujiwara clan.^[3] Japanese genealogist, Suzuki Matoshi claimed the clan was from the Korean kingdom of Baekje, while Oota Akira, Japanese historian, claimed the clan originated from Ki clan.^[4] Another theory is that the Kikuchi descend from Minamoto no Tsunemoto.^[5] However Y DNA analysis shows that the Kikuchi are O1B2A1A1, which is the Y DNA of the Fujiwara clan, and confirms their claims ^[6]

Many famous warriors have come from this family such as Kikuchi Takanao, Kikuchi Takefusa who stopped the Mongol Invasions of Japan, Kikuchi Taketoki and Kikuchi Takemitsu whose stories have become some of the most colorful in Japanese history. Along with the Ōtomo, Ōuchi, Shōni and Shimazu they would write the history of the island of Kyūshū.

The Kikuchi clan was destroyed when the Ōuchi clan attacked them and many clan members went into hiding either by moving or entering another family. Notable Kikuchi descendants are Hayashi Narinaga, a general for Mōri Motonari and Saigō Takamori who was dubbed the last samurai.