• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Tsugukage (father) Nakatsukasa (daughter)
  • Birth: c.875AD
  • Death: c.938AD

Lady Ise

Lady Ise (伊勢) was the daughter of Fujiwara no Tsugukage, and therefore a member of the Fujiwara Clan. She was also the mother to Nakatsukasa. She is thought to have lived from c.875-c.938.¹ (877-938² 877-940⁴)

Her real name is unknown and stems from Ise Province where her father was stationed as Governor.³

During her lifetime she was a lady-in-waiting to Fujiwara no Onshi I¹³ later having a child with Emperor Uda.¹ With the Emperors son Prince Atsuyoshi she gave birth to her daughter Nakatsukasa.³

A talented poet, her poems can be found in several places. 22 can found in the Kokinshū and 72 (70³) in the Gosenshū.¹ Her poems can also be found in the Ise Monogatari.⁴ Lady Ise additionally had a personal collection of poetry called the Iseshū. She is listed as one of Fujiwara no Kintō’s Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses.³

One of her poems can be found in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (No.19) and goes as follows:

Japanese text2	Romanized Japanese1	English translation1
難波潟 みじかき芦の ふしのまも あはでこの世を 過ぐしてよとや	Naniwagata mijikaki ashi no fushi no ma mo awade kono yo o sugushiteyo to ya	Are you saying, for even a moment short as the space between the nodes on a reed from Naniwa Inlet, we should never meet again?

Footnotes

1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.
3. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
4. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses
Lady Ise * Yamabe no Akahito * Ariwara no Narihira * Ki no Tomonori * Sarumaru Taifu * Ono no Komachi * Fujiwara no Kanesuke * Fujiwara no Atsutada * Fujiwara no Toshiyuki * Minamoto no Muneyuki * Minamoto no Shitagō * Kiyohara no Motosuke * Sakanoue no Korenori * Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu * Fujiwara no Okikaze * Fujiwara no Asatada

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Fujiwara no Raishi

Fujiwara no Raishi was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of the clan. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Mototsune.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Fujiwara no Baishi

Fujiwara no Baishi was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of the clan. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Mototsune.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Emperor Daigo (husband) Emperor Suzaku (son) Emperor Murakami (son) Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister)
  • Birth: 885AD
  • Death: 954AD

Fujiwara no Onshi II

Fujiwara no Onshi II (藤原 穏子) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan, living from 885-954AD.

She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Mototsune and would go on to marry Emperor Daigo. Together she would give birth to the future Emperors Suzaku and Murakami.¹

Lady Ukon served as one of her ladies-in-waiting.²

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Emperor Uda (husband) Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: 872AD
  • Death: 907AD

Fujiwara no Onshi I

Fujiwara no Onshi I (藤原 温子) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan, living from 872-907AD.

She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Mototsune and would go on to marry Emperor Uda.¹

Lady Ise served as one of her ladies-in-waiting.²³

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
3. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Sadaijin
  • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: 875AD
  • Death: 945AD

Fujiwara no Nakahira

Fujiwara no Nakahira (藤原 仲平) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan, living from 875-945AD. He was also known as Biwa no Daijin.

He was the son of Fujiwara no Mototsune and brother of Fujiwara no Tokihira.

Under the reign of Emperor Daigo and Suzaku he held the position of Sadaijin.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• Period: Heian Period
• Occupation: Udajin, Sessho, Dajo Daijin, Kampaku
• Family: Fujiwara no Nagara (father) Fujiwara no Yoshifusa (adopted father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (son) Fujiwara no Nakahira (son) Fujiwara no Tadahira (son) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (daughter) Fujiwara no Onshi II (daughter) Emperor Yōzei (nephew)
• Birth: 836AD
• Death: 891AD

Fujiwara no Mototsune

Fujiwara no Mototsune (藤原 基経) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan, living from 836-891AD.

The son of Fujiwara no Nagara he had many children, these being Fujiwara no Tokihira, Fujiwara no Nakahira, Fujiwara no Tadahira, Fujiwara no Onshi I and Fujiwara no Onshi II,¹² Fujiwara no Kanehira, Fujiwara no Raishi and Fujiwara no Baishi. He would later be adopted by Fujiwara no Yoshifusa.²

Over his lifetime he had many promotions becoming udajin in 872, sessho in 876, dajo daijin in 880 and kampaku in 884¹ (887²). He was the first to recieve the title kampaku. Though the title was surrounded by slight controversy which became known as the Ako Incident.²

Mototsune saw to it that Emperor Yozei was deposed with Emperor Kōkō then placed on the throne. He would then depose Kōkō in 888 to place Emperor Uda on the throne.

His two daughters Onshi I and Onshi II married Emperors Uda and Daigo.

One of his literary works was called the montoku jitsuroku, which he worked on with several others. Motosune was also known as Horikawa Daijin.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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Fujiwara no Kanehira

• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: 875AD
  • Death: 935AD

Fujiwara no Kanehira (藤原 兼平) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of the clan. He lived from 875-935AD and was the son of Fujiwara no Mototsune.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Minister
  • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Akitada (son) Fujiwara no Atsutada (son) Fujiwara no Yasutada (son) Fujiwara no Hōshi (daughter) Fujiwara no Tadahira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister)
  • Birth: 871AD
  • Death: 909AD

Fujiwara Tokihira

Fujiwara Tokihira (藤原 時平) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan. He was the son of Fujiwara no Mototsune,² father of Fujiwara no Akitada, Fujiwara no Atsutada, Fujiwara no Yasutada and Fujiwara no Hōshi.³

He served as minister for Emperor Daigo, living from 871-909.

In 900AD he accused Sugawara no Michizane of plotting against the Emperor which ended with Michizane’s exile.

He is one of the writers of the Sandai jitsuroku as well as being the man who started writing the Engi Shiki before his death. This was then carried on by his brother.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Brinkley, F. (1915) “A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era.” New York: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company.
3. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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Hear about Fujiwara no Tadahira on Episode 20 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• • • Period: Heian Period
    • Occupation: Sadaijin, Sesshō, Waka Poet.
    • Family: Fujiwara no Mototsune (father) Fujiwara no Saneyori (son) Fujiwara no Morosuke (son) Fujiwara no Morotada (son) Fujiwara no Morouji (son) Fujiwara no Tokihira (brother) Fujiwara no Nakahira (brother) Fujiwara no Kanehira (brother) Fujiwara no Raishi (sister) Fujiwara no Baishi (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi I (sister) Fujiwara no Onshi II (sister) Fujiwara no Sanekata (great-grandson)
    • Birth: 880AD
    • Death: 949AD

Fujiwara no Tadahira

Fujiwara no Tadahira (藤原 忠平) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan.

He was the great-grandfather of the poet Fujiwara no Sanekata¹ and son to Fujiwara no Mototsune.³⁴ He lived from 880 to 949, and was known after his death as Teishinko (Lord Upright and Faithful)¹ and also was known by the name Ko-ichijō daijō-daijin³. He took over from his brother (Tokihira) to lead the hokke branch of the Fujiwara Clan and also held the position of Chancellor of the Realm.

During his life he held the position of Sadaijin (Minster of the Left) during the reign of Emperor Daigo, and became sesshō (regent) during the reign of Emperor Suzaku¹ in 931, Dajō daijin in 936 and kampaku in 941. Under the orders of Emperor Daigo he was instructed to aide in copiling the Engi Shiki which he did until 927AD.³

His legacy includes seven poems within the Gosenshū, and an additional six in the imperial waka anthologies. He is also noted to have left a journal entitled the Teishinkō-ki.

One of his poems is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, his is the 26th in the sequence and reads:¹

Footnotes

1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.
3. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
4. Brinkley, F. (1915) “A History of the Japanese People from the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era.” New York: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company.

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