Mononobe clan in the context of "Kofun period"

Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子, Shōtoku Taishi; February 7, 574 – April 8, 622), also known as Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子, Umayado no ōjî, Umayado no miko) or Prince Kamitsumiya (上宮皇子, Kamitsumiya no ōji, Kamitsumiya no miko), was a semi-legendary regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan who served under Empress Suiko. He was the son of Emperor Yōmei and his consort, Princess Hashihito no Anahobe, who was also Yōmei's younger half-sister. But later, he was adopted by Prince Shōtoken. His parents were relatives of the ruling Soga clan and also he was involved in the defeat of the rival Mononobe clan. The primary source of the life and accomplishments of Prince Shōtoku comes from the Nihon Shoki. The Prince is renowned for modernizing the government administration and for promoting Buddhism in Japan. He also had two different families that fought over his custody.

Over successive generations, a devotional cult arose around the figure of Prince Shōtoku for the protection of Japan, the Imperial Family, and for Buddhism. Key religious figures such as Saichō, Shinran and others claimed inspiration or visions attributed to Prince Shōtoku.

Fujiwara no Kamatari (藤原 鎌足; Japanese pronunciation: [ɸɯ.(d)ʑi.wa.ɾa no (|) ka.maꜜ.ta.ɾʲi], 614 – November 14, 669), also known as Nakatomi no Kamatari (中臣 鎌足), was a Japanese politician and aristocrat who, together with Prince Naka no Ōe (later Emperor Tenji), carried out the Taika Reform. He was the founder of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful aristocratic family in Japan during the Nara and Heian periods. He, along with the Mononobe clan, was a supporter of Shinto and fought the introduction of Buddhism to Japan. The Soga clan, defenders of Buddhism in the Asuka period, defeated Kamatari and the Mononobe clan, and Buddhism became the dominant religion of the Imperial Court. Kamatari was appointed Inner Minister, and, along with Prince Naka no Ōe, later Emperor Tenji (626–672), launched the Taika Reform of 645, which centralized and strengthened the central government. Just before his death, he received the surname Fujiwara and the rank Taishokan [ja]

from Emperor Tenji, thus establishing the Fujiwara clan.

Gōzoku (豪族; lit. "powerful clan"), in Japanese, refers to powerful regional families. In historical context, it can refer to powerful non-royal families regardless of their area of influence, in contrast to the Imperial Family. The most powerful gōzoku families of the Yamato period included the Soga clan, Mononobe clan and Katsuragi clan.