Later in the Heian period, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro founded a cadet branch clan called the
Tamura clan. The clan became an important family during the
Sengoku period and the
Edo period, marrying many of its women into more powerful clans such as the
Date clan. The third son of Sakanoue no Atai Shina, (坂上阿良) left the family to create his own clan. This newly founded clan known as the "
Hata clan (波多氏)" carried over an ancient spelling claimed previously by
a clan of the same name, but one that hails from
Silla. For context, the older Hata clan, though currently written as "秦", had a parent clan that was recorded under "波多" and is believed to have roots in the Korean word "Pada (바다)" meaning "ocean", since the immigrants most likely arrived in Japan from the seas (see
etymology of the Hata clan's name). It is likely that the foreign element in the word "波多" was a desirable choice of rebranding for a descendant clan that also had a parent clan that had roots outside of Japan. This is evident in the clan's bestowment of the name "Imiki" which was shared with the Hata clan and its descendants, likely creating a sense of bond and familiarity across clans of foreign origin. According to the family's genealogy, Achi no Omi's son Tsuka no Omi's eldest son
Yamaki no Atai (山木直) became the ancestor to several descendant clans, one of which was the
Karakuni clan (韓国氏) literally meaning the "Nation of Korea" clan, and the
Karakuchi clan (韓口氏) literally meaning the "Mouth of Korea" clan. The name is deemed to have carried a sentiment similar to the aforementioned "Hata clan" of Sakanoue no Ara. The clan also claimed lineage of a separate immigrant clan known as the
Ōtomo clan which is believed to have come from
Goguryeo. However, despite not having any shared heritage historically, the clan claimed that the Ōtomo clan descended from Achi no Omi, founder of the Yamatonoaya clan, which ultimately made the Ōtomo clan's lineage historically and genealogically inconsistent and messy. Several of the clan descendants married into the Japanese Imperial family, specifically daughters of Sakanoue no Tamuramaro.
Emperor Kanmu, who was also of foreign origin (through his mother
Takano no Niigasa's clan,
Yamato no Fuhito clan to the kingdom of
Paekche), married with several women of foreign ancestry including women from the Sakanoue clan and the
Kudara no Konikishi clan. == Notable members ==