Dewa no ben (出羽弁)
Dewa no ben (around 1007? - date of death unknown) was a female waka poet in the mid Heian period. Her name is also pronounced as Idewa no ben. Some people say her father was Dewa no kami (governer of Dewa Province) TAIRA no Suenobu, but others say it was Kaga no kami (governer of Kaga Province) TAIRA no Hidenobu (Heian period).
She served as the second consort of the Emperor Ichijo, FUJIWARA no Akiko (Shoshi), her younger sister, and the second consort of the Emperor Goichijo, FUJIWARA no Ishi, and her daughter Imperial Princess Shoshi. In 1033, she composed and presented byobu-uta (screen poems) for MINAMOTO no Rinshi on the celebration of her 70th birthday, as well as flourishing in many Utaawase (poetry competition).
Her poems were selected for Chokusen wakashu (anthology of Japanese poetry compiled by Imperial command) including 'Goshui Wakashu' (4th imperial anthology).
One of her personal collections of poetry is 'DEWA no ben shu.'
Some say that volumes 31 through 37 of the sequel of 'Eiga monogatari' (A Tale of Flowering Fortunes) were made by Dewa no ben.
According to 'Imperial Princess Rokujosaiin Baiko family monogatari awase,' she is the writer of the story 'Araba au yo no.'