Fujiwara no Bokushi (藤原穆子)
FUJIWARA no Bokushi (also known as Atsuko) (931 - September 6, 1016) was the legal wife of MINAMOTO no Masanobu, Sadaijin (minister of the left) during the Heian period. She was the daughter of FUJIWARA no Asatada who served as Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), and the mother of MINAMOTO no Tokimichi, MINAMOTO no Tokinobu, MINAMOTO no Rinshi who was the legal wife of FUJIWARA no Michinaga, and another daughter who was the legal wife of FUJIWARA no Michitsuna.
When FUJIWARA no Michinaga proposed to MINAMOTO no Rinshi, Bokushi's husband Masanobu was planning to make Rinshi the Empress of Emperor Ichijo and tried to refuse the proposal, but Bokushi was against her husband because of the big age gap between Rinshi and the Emperor, and let Michinaga marry into her family as her son-in-law. Because of this Michinaga was said to be deeply indebted to his mother-in-law.
After her husband's death Bokushi became a nun and was called 'Ichijo no ama' (nun of Ichijo). Later, glorious events such as Michinaga's promotion and her granddaughter FUJIWARA no Shoshi's judai (an Imperial Consort's bridal entry into court) followed, and Bokushi's Shichi-ju san no shuho(Rituals of exorcism or removing evil influences at 70 years old) was held on a large scale by Michinaga and Rinshi in 1001. In her last years she was said to often confine herself in Kannon-ji Temple (Kyoto City) for prayer.
In 1016 soon after her great-grandson was enthroned to become Emperor Goichijo, she became seriously ill, and despite the care from Michinaga and Rinshi, she died of an illness in August of the same year at the age of 86.