Mikushige-dono (the fourth daughter of FUJIWARA no Michitaka) (御匣殿 (藤原道隆四女))

Mikushige-dono (the date of birth unknown-July 21, 1002) was nyokan (a court lady) of Emperor Ichijo's kokyu (emperor's residence) and betto (superior) of Joganden Palace (also called 'Mikushige-dono') in the mid Heian Period. Her real name is unknown. She was the fourth daughter of 'Nakanokanpaku FUJIWARA no Michitaka and her biological mother was Kita no Mandokoro (legal wife of regent or chief adviser to the Emperor) TAKASHINA no Kishi, a daughter of TAKASHINA no Naritada.

She was betto of Mikushige-dono to serve for FUJIWARA no Teishi (Empress of Emperor Ichijo), her older sister with the same mother and often appeared in "Makura no soshi (the Pillow Book.)"
According to 'Toribeno', a series of "Eiga Monogatari (the Tale of Glory)", Teishi who had a premonition that she would die asked her to raise her nephew, Imperial Prince Atsuyasu and upon death of Teishi in Jsanuary 1001, carried out judai (an Imperial Consort's bridal entry into court) to serve as a substitute mother for her three bereaved children. While taking care of the Prince and other children, her image which was similar to her older sister Teishi attracted Emperor Ichijo who was sad with a sense of loss of his beloved wife and afterward, she became pregnant with the Emperor's favor. Her older brothers, FUJIWARA no Korechika and FUJIWARA no Takaie with the same mother were looking forward to the birth of a prince, but she left the Emperor and died pregnant caring about the future of the young Prince and other children. She seems to have been a charming and modest woman ("Okagami "(the Great Mirror)" and "Eiga Monogatari",) and the Emperor was greatly shocked and disappointed about her death in addition to the death of Teishi.

[Original Japanese]