Fujiwara no Shokushi (藤原殖子; 1157–1228) was a Japanese noblewoman in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. She may have been known in life as TanekoorMasuko, but today is primarily known by her in title Shichijō-in. After entering Buddhist orders she took the name Shinnyochi. She was the mother of Emperor Go-Toba.
Fujiwara no Shokushi was born in 1157.[1] Her father was Bōmon Nobutaka [ja],[2] and her mother was Fujiwara no Kyūshi (藤原休子).[2]
While serving Taira no Tokuko,[2] the daughter of Taira no Kiyomori and wife of Emperor Takakura,[2] she became naishi-no-suke [ja] ("Assistant Handmaid") to the emperor,[2] and bore Prince Morisada [ja][2] and the future Emperor Go-Toba.[2]InKenkyū 1 (1190), she was of the Junior Third Rank and held the title of jusangū [ja],[2] she became a nyoin [ja][2] and took the title Shichijō-in (七条院).[2] She took Buddhist ordersinGenkyū 2 (1205),[2] taking the dharma name Shinnyochi (真如智).[2] According to the Gukanshō, her niece (by her younger brother Fujiwara no Nobukiyo) married the third Kamakura shōgun, Minamoto no Sanetomo.[3]
She inherited a large amount of property (nyoin-ryō), which were known as Shichijō-in-ryō (七条院領).[2]
Shokushi died on the 16th day of the ninth monthofAntei 2 (15 October 1228 in the Julian calendar).[4] After her death, the Shichijō-in-ryō would have passed to her son Go-Toba, but he was in exile on Oki, so under his will they were passed to his concubine Fujiwara no Jūshi [ja]'s son Emperor Juntoku's son Prince Yoshimune [ja] instead.[5]
Like many Japanese noblewomen from the classical and medieval periods, the original reading for her given name is uncertain. Shokushi uses the on-yomi of the kanji for her name. This was read by the Japanologist Richard Ponsonby-Fane as "Masuko"[6] but by historian Tomohiko Okano [ja] as "Taneko".[7]
