Kamisato Ayato

He is the current head of the Kamisato Clan, the older brother of Kamisato Ayaka, and the Yashiro Commissioner. Resourceful and cunning, Ayato keeps a lower profile than his sister and focuses on government affairs in the Commission.

The young but highly accomplished head of the Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Clan. Cultured and polite, he is a man of many ways and means.

Ayato is a person that does not like to show his face in public often, preferring to work on his duties as the Yashiro Commissioner. A well-known fact about him is that he's extremely busy and stressed, as he has to deal with corrupt government officials while juggling his duty as the leader of the Shuumatsuban. Due to his duties, he loathes small talk, wanting people to get to the point. He uses a large array of methods to deal with corrupt officials, usually within legal bounds.

While he is not particularly well known due to his preference to remain behind the scenes, those who are familiar with him note that he is incredibly kind and has inspired loyalty from many people. For example, Hirotatsu states that he continues to serve the Yashiro Commission to repay the generosity that he showed him and his master and it is strongly implied that Ayato was the one who inspired Thoma to the point the latter received a Vision. Ayato has stated that he highly values loyalty and obedience (hence his preference for dogs), as strongly implied that there were numerous assassinations against him in the past, hence why he values those two traits so much to protect himself from rival clans and organizations.

Despite his succession as the family head at a young age, he appears to be a mature and determined man, notably even more than Ayaka, who's known for her steadfastness. Like Ayaka, Ayato cares for the well-being of the common people. He is also a family man, as he had taken the position of Commissioner per his parents' wishes to also protect Ayaka, stating that he would not forgive any who would harm his family and wanting to ensure that Ayaka had others to rely on when she needed it. He also risked his life to smuggle the Watatsumi Army into Tenshukaku for the sake of doing a 'small favour' for her.

Ayato is also known to be cunning and mischievous, as both the Shogun and Yae Miko note him as unpredictable and tricky to understand, with the latter strongly disliking him as a result. Nonetheless, he is tolerated by both for upholding the Shogun's will for the former and their duties generally aligning for the latter. Hiratsuka notes that whenever he hangs out with Thoma, he ropes him into eating strange food, causing Thoma to become terrified whenever he sees him. Itto remarks that Ayato is a 'warrior' with great charisma, and that the two are 'on the same wavelength'. He is also able to find Sayu with ease despite not appearing to have much ninja training, even though the rest of the Shuumatsuban have difficulty locating her.

Ayato is very tall, standing at around 6'9 in height. He has long pale blue asymmetrical shoulder-length hair, pale skin, and light purple eyes. He also has a small mole under the left corner of his mouth. He takes great amusement in wearing styles only he could ever pull off, as many try to emulate him- a formal kimono top, slim-lined pants, and a jacket that is short in the front with long tails in the back, always in very pale pastels, with subtle embroidery. He has a very dominant, assertive, and composed personality, and prefers to always be in control of any situation.

As the head of the Yashiro Commission, Kamisato Ayato is committed to maintaining the prosperity and stability of the region.

At a glance, he is low-profile and graceful. He is not a fan of public appearances and does not seek to show his skills overtly.

But those who do know him understand that he is not to be underestimated. Long ago, when the Yashiro Commission fell on hard times, and when the Kamisato Clan was on the verge of crumbling, it was this young man who rose to the occasion and stabilized the situation.

He could not have achieved his position without extraordinary resourcefulness and cunning. But perhaps, that impenetrable smile belies darker waves.

However, the most intriguing thing is that in most of these negotiations in which he participates, he is not ruthless nor competitive, and is even willing to share the benefits so that everyone can get a relatively satisfactory piece of the pie.

As clan head of the Kamisato Clan, one of the great clans of the Tri-Commission, Kamisato Ayato is a household name in Inazuma.

However, people do not have quite the same clear impression of him as they do of the Shirasagi Himegimi, the elegant and kind Ayaka.

Most only know that he is an important figure in the Shogunate and the head of a famed noble house. But as for the details, there's little that they can say for sure.

Kamisato Ayato, as the eldest son of Inazuman nobility, was greatly loved from the moment he was born.

Though his parents were too busy to always spend time with him, they took good care of him, and in any case the 'young master' never lacked for people around to look after his every need.

When he was somewhat older, he would, at his father's request, begin a complex and strict training regimen as the family successor.

But not all went as well as they might have hoped, and the pressures in the court and at home would weigh heavily on his father's health, resulting in an early passing.

The young Ayato was thus thrust into a battle for the survival of the clan's position.

In those days, none were impressed by this inexperienced youngster. Ayato went from being an elegant and refined princeling to 'the poor young master of the Kamisato Clan' amongst the people, and 'that greenhorn' amongst his political opponents.

Time, however, would prove these people wrong.

With extraordinary courage and some first-rate tactics, he did not leave the clan to languish. No, indeed, the Kamisato Clan's position would grow more stable than ever.

The heavy workload, malicious deceptions, and attempts to frame him at every turn he parried away, even turning them to his own advantage.

The passage of time has only increased the standing of the Yashiro Commission's Kamisato Clan in the Shogunate and with the people.

Today, Ayato is a clan head that a great house like the Kamisato Clan would be proud of, and a Yashiro Commissioner acknowledged by all.

The Yashiro Commission is in charge of ritual matters on Narukami Island, and must also attend to matters of cultural leisure in such a manner that deities and the people alike are pleased — and they do, honoring their commission.

Ayato's great strength lies in his ability to handle such matters. The way he sees it, people are driven by interest. Find leverage, and the other side will cooperate. Find some goal that will bring the other party around to your logic, then pacify them with a few choice platitudes for the occasion, and most problems can be resolved. And when dealing with the stubborn, one merely needs to appeal to a higher power to bear — after all, what mortal could gainsay the light of heaven itself, no matter how high their status or arrogant their attitude?

Over time, the knowledgeable and decorous Kamisato clan head gained quite the name for himself in the Shogunate.

While walking through the streets, he might suddenly consider a certain unique snack stand. Going up to the owner, he'd ask if they are selling anything new, how business is going, buy a drink or two to try... and if he finds it interesting, he'll buy a few back for the rest of the household.

Lately, he also lent some encouragement to the young oni who frequents Hanamizaka due to the latter's bug-fighting troubles — out of the goodness of his heart, of course. He also discovered that this crimson oni did not know what the name 'Ayato' signified... which was fine, of course. No need to explain such things.

On the way home, he might pass Chinju Forest and see passers-by having tricks played on them by the bake-danuki, in which case he will point the illusion out. If the bake-danuki should hone their changeling skills further on his account, why, they should thank him for the inspiration.

And of course, even one so talented as Thoma might sometimes struggle to think of what to make for dinner. Such occasions are perfect for a hot pot game! After all, Ayaka always puts the most unexpected things into the pot — and how proud he is of his sister for that!

Yes, these things are indeed the spice of the Yashiro Commissioner's life.

Between the butler and the housekeeper, the Kamisato estate is always spick and span, inside and out... except for one location.

Kamisato Ayato's table is always a terrible mess after he uses it.

Books are strewn about, open and even dumped face-down on the table, while documents of uneven size are stacked haphazardly. The ink on the inkstone is never really properly kept, and one might even sometimes find chess pieces or cards under the table.

Each time the clan head gets off work, the servants always need some time to clean his study up.

In the process, they discovered that assorted notes are often clipped between these pages. Ayato's work often sees him leaving home early and returning late. As such, the people of the Kamisato Estate will communicate with him through these means. This was a method that Ayato came up with himself, and this is how the Kamisato household is run, via these small notes.

Unfortunately, their use has seen the clan head's already messy table become messier still... Oh well, just a small sacrifice. Nothing worth writing home about.

Even Kamisato Ayato himself could not have expected that calligraphy practice, which he had found most boring in his youth, would eventually become a favored pastime of his.

He had slogged through much penmanship practice to better play the part of the Kamisato Clan's eldest son.

But nowadays, he transcribes a few poems from time to time to clear his mind and think in silence.

Of course, this also lets him seem like he is busy with official business even while idle, all the better to avoid seeing some people and doing certain things.

With time's passing, it became agreed among the servants waiting on him that he not only liked to play chess but was also fond of calligraphy.

Such talk would spread widely via word of mouth. As such, Ayato often receives excellent brushes as gifts during festivals or birthdays.