Sani (courtier without post) FUJIWARA no Motomichi (藤原基通 (散位))
FUJIWARA no Motomichi (year of birth and death unknown) was a local government officer in Mutsu Province who lived during the later Heian period. He was a sani.
During the Battle of Enkyu Ezo, which began in 1070 by the Imperial order of Emperor Gosanjo, he stole the Governor's seal and the key of the provincial shoso (public repository) and ran away from the province while MINAMOTO no Yoritoshi, the Governor of Mutsu Province, was away from the province in battle. Subsequently, he visited MINAMOTO no Yoshiie, who was the Governor of Shimotsuke Province, and was arrested in Shimotsuke Province. Yoshiie reported this incident to the central government, and he requested a dismissal and the recall of Yoritoshi. This incident made Yoritoshi lose his position and his military service at the Battle of Enkyo Ezo was not appreciated at all, while KIYOHARA no Sadahira (also known as KIYOHARA no Sanehira), who was the second-in-command of Yoritoshi's army, was appointed to be the Chinju-fu Shogun (Commander-in-Chief of the Defense of the North).
Motomichi's family background are still entirely unknown, but it has been thought that he was a local government officer because he had access to the Governor's seal and the key of the provincial shoso, and some historical materials say he was a sani. Also, as he unnaturally ran away to Shimotsuke Province and surrendered to MINAMOTO no Yoshiie, some people think he was possibly in a relationship with MINAMOTO no Yoriyoshi and Yoshiie as the loads and the vassal at the Zen Kunen no Eki (Former Nine Years' Campaign). They think Motomichi started this incident in compliance with Yoshiie's thoughts in order for Yoritoshi to lose his position and power, because Yoshiie did not like the spread of MINAMOTO no Yoritoshi's influence in Mutsu Province.