Takatsukasa Kanehira (1228 - 30 August 1294; 鷹司 兼平) was Chancellor of Japan in the apex of his career.
Takatsukasa Kanehira was born into the Konoe clan, a branch of the Fujiwara clan, as the son of Konoe Iezane. He thus may be called Fujiwara Kanehira in old texts. He would be the progenitor of the Takatsukasa clan. He had sons: Takatsukasa Mototada and Takatsukasa Kanetada.
Takatsukasa Kanehira makes an appearance in The Confessions of Lady Nijō, referred to as the "Great Lord Konoe". In it, he is described as a supporter of Emperor Go-Saga and Emperor Go-Fukakasa. Lady Nijō recounts that when she was at Fushimi palace in the year 1277, late one night, Takatsukasa Kanehira grabbed her, causing her to scream, to which he said that screaming would attract "monsters who live in the trees". He then claimed that he had waited a long time to be friendly with her, and forced her to swear an oath to come back to him. It scared her so much that she could not sleep the rest of the night. The next night, he goes to the room of the now-retired Emperor Go-Fukakasa to take Lady Nijō, who was massaging the hips of the retired emperor, and manages to persuade the retired emperor into taking Lady Nijō outside the room. Though not explicity stating it, Lady Nijō implies that he, being heavily drunk and that he did not release her until the sun came up, raped her. He later spent two more nights with her in bed before Lady Nijō and he left Fushimi palace on separate routes.
His tenure as Advisor lasted from 1252 to 1255; in that title, he was preceded by Konoe Kanetsune and succeeded by Kujō Tadaie.[DNHS-376]
His tenure as Chancellor lasted from 1255 to 1261; in that title, he was preceded by Ichijō Sanetsune and succeeded by Nijō Yoshizane.[DNHS-376]
His tenure as Advisor lasted from 1275 to 1278; in that title, he was preceded by Ichijō Ietsune and succeeded by Takatsukasa Kanetada.[DNHS-377]
His tenure as Chancellor lasted from 1278 to 1287; in that title, he was preceded by Ichijō Sanetsune and succeeded by Nijō Morotada.[DNHS-377]
[DNHS-376]: The History of Great Japan (chapter 376) (hyperlink)
[DNHS-377]: The History of Great Japan (chapter 377) (hyperlink)