Yoshitomo

Yoshitomo is a masculine given name in Japan. The name can be written with various kanji combinations, and its meaning changes with the characters chosen; common elements include words associated with righteousness, goodness, or friendship. It is used across different periods of Japanese history and is found among both historical figures and modern personalities.

Minamoto no Yoshitomo was a prominent samurai of the late Heian period and a leader within the Minamoto clan. He played a central role in the clan’s early power struggles against the Taira and was killed during the turbulent years that culminated in the rise of his descendants, including Minamoto no Yoritomo, who founded the Kamakura shogunate, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

Yoshitomo Nara, born in 1959, is a Japanese artist whose paintings and sculptures are recognized worldwide. His work often features childlike figures with a confrontational or enigmatic edge and is associated with postwar Japanese pop and contemporary art movements.