Abutsu-ni (阿仏尼) was a waka poet who died in 1283. A poet and lady-in-waiting of the Kamakura Period, she is best known as the author of the Izayoi Nikki.
She is best known as the author of the Izayoi Nikki and during her life served as Lady-in-Waiting to Empress Anka Mon’in.
Her other works include Yoru no Tsuru, and she is generally accepted as the author of Utatane no Ki1. Her poems can be found in the Shoku Kokinshū, Gyokuyō-shū and Fūga-shū.2
Around 1250 she became the secondary wife of Fujiwara no Tameie, later becoming a nun once her husband passed away in 1275.1
During her lifetime there was a dispute over property and so she went to Kamakura to arrange for a transfer of possession to her son Reizei Tamesuke, though she died before a judgement was given.2
She was also known as Anka Mon’in no Sijō and Anka Mon’in Emon no Suke during her lifetime.1
Footnotes
1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
