The 8th century clan history "Tōshi Kaden" (藤氏家伝) states the following at the biography of the clan's patriarch, Nakatomi no Kamatari (614–669): "Kamatari, the Inner Palace Minister who was also called ‘Chūrō","’ was a man of the Takechi district of Yamato Province. His forebears descended from Ame no Koyane no Mikoto; for generations they had administered the rites for Heaven and Earth, harmonizing the space between men and the gods. Therefore it was ordered their clan was to be called Ōnakatomi"