Fujiwara no Mitsuko (藤原美都子)

FUJIWARA no Mitsuko (1060 - May 11, 1121) was a court lady in the late Heian period. She was a daughter of Tajima no kuni no kami (Governor of Tajima Province) FUJIWARA no Takakata and a sister of FUJIWARA no Tamefusa. She became a mistress of FUJIWARA no Kinzane and gave birth to 8 children including FUJIWARA no Michisue, Buddhist monk Ninjitsu, FUJIWARA no Saneyoshi, Buddhist monk Kakugen, FUJIWARA no Koshi, FUJIWARA no Jisshi, and FUJIWARA no Shoshi (Taikenmonin). She was the menoto (woman providing breast-feed to a highborn baby) of Emperor Horikawa and Emperor Toba.

In 1087, she became Naishi no suke (a court lady of the first rank) as the menoto of Emperor Horikawa and was called Chunagon Naishi no suke (Secretary and Middle Councilor). In 1102, she was appointed to Jusanmi (Junior Third Rank). She was called 'Ben no sanmi,' which may be because her father Takakata was benkan (an official of the Dajokan). Between February and March 1103, she also served as a menoto of Emperor Toba. In 1108, she was appointed Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank). When her daughter Jisshi officially became menoto the following year, Mitsuko, as the mother, was called Okura Sanmi. In 1112, she was promoted to Junii (Junior Second Rank). As menoto of Emperor Horikawa and Emperor Toba, she had latent powers in the political world, however on May 11 1121, she died at the age of 62.

[Original Japanese]