Sakurai Family (桜井家)
The Sakurai family was a court noble family with the family rank of Urinke. They fell under the Minase family line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan. The hereditary stipend during the Edo period was thirty hyo three fuchi in warehouse rice. After the Meiji Restoration, the family held the title of viscount.
During the Edo period, the Sakurai family was founded by Kanesato, the son of Kanetoshi MINASE. The highest position attained was the Headquarters of the Inner Palace Guards. During the mid-Edo period, Ujiyoshi SAKURAI studied under TAKENOUCHI Shikibu and was implicated in the Horeki Incident. Due to this incident, the family line had a high possible of becoming extinct, but Tomoatsu SAKURAI, the biological younger brother of Ujiyoshi SAKURAI was allowed to inherit the family.
During the Meiji Restoration, Ujiyoshi was pardoned and conferred Shoshii (Senior Fourth Rank) posthumously, and on July 8, 1884, the title of viscount was bestowed upon Tomoatsu SAKURAI.