Fujiwara no Korechika

Who was Fujiwara no Korechika?

Fujiwara no Korechika, the second son of Michitaka, was a kugyo of the Heian period. His mother was Takashina no Takako, also known as Kō-no-Naishi. His sister Teishi was married to Emperor Ichijō, and Korechika aspired to become the regent for his young brother-in-law after his father's death. Korechika's ambitions pitted him against his powerful uncle, Fujiwara no Michinaga, and the resulting power struggle continued until Empress Teishi's unexpected death. This left Michinaga's daughter, Shoshi, as Ichijō's sole empress, solidifying Michinaga's power at court.

In Chōtoku 2, Korechika and his younger brother Takaie were exiled to Dazaifu. Korechika was charged with shooting an arrow at Retired Emperor Kazan, and performing an esoteric Shingon ceremony known as Taigen no Hō, which was reserved solely for the emperor. He was pardoned a year later, and subsequently became Jun-Daijin.

Korechika is sometimes referred to as Gidō-sanshi or Sochi no Naidaijin.