Mido-ryu (御堂流)
Mido-ryu was the name of a style of Yusoku-kojitsu (knowledge of court rules, ceremony, decorum and records of the past) and manners for the descendants of FUJIWARA no Michinaga (Sessho [Regent] and Daijo-daijin [Grand Minister]) of Kujo line of Fujiwara-Hokke (the Northern House of the Fujiwara Clan) and the groups who assumed Michinaga as their ancestors. The 'Mido' was to derive from his nickname of 'Mido Kanpaku' (emperor's chief advisor) when he established Hojo-ji Temple (however, he never became a Kanpaku).
Summary
FUJIWARA no Michinaga was the fifth son of FUJIWARA no Kaneie but using his inherited luck and political power, after being in both Nairan (private inspection) and Ichinokami (the ranking Council Member), he assumed leadership as Daijokan (Grand Council of State) for more than 20 years, then became a Sessho and Daijo-daijin; he led to the heyday of Regency as the father of three Empresses and maternal grandfather of two Emperors. All his descendants to the death of Motozane KONOE occupied the position of Sessho and when Mido-ryu Sekke (line of regents and advisers) was split after Motozane's death, only descendants of Mido-ryu occupied the position. As the main houses derived from Mido-ryu, there exists the Sekke (line of regents and advisers), Matsudono family, Daigo family and their branch families, lines such as the Nakamikado-ryu, Mikohidari-ryu and Kazanin-ryu.
Mido-ryu Kojitsu (Ancient Practice)
Mido-ryu also means a style of Yusoku-kojitsu (knowledge of court rules, ceremony, decorum and records of the past) derived from Kujo-ryu. Kujo-ryu was a style that FUJIWARA no Morosuke, the grandfather of Michinaga, started but his children were heavily involved in power struggles and Kujo-ryu was not working as a style of ancient practices. FUJIWARA no Michinaga handed down "Saiguki" (exemplary book on Heian rituals) through one of his wives MINAMOTO no Akiko written by MINAMOTO no Takaakira, the father of Akiko. Michinaga created his own school by adding ancient practices of the Daigo-Genji (Minamoto clan) while succeeding Kujo-ryu as an orally transferred secret and it is said that it was succeeded by FUJIWARA no Yorimichi and FUJIWARA no Norimichi, the sons of Michinaga. On the other hand, it was written in "Shoyuki" (in the article on February 20, 1013, or the article on September 10 and 11, 1021 and so on of the diary) by FUJIWARA no Sanesuke that Michinaga tried to force his new style (Mido-ryu) on Kugyo (court nobles) of other families such as Ononomiya family, so he had an intention of unifying ancient practices in the court noble society with Mido-ryu. After that, Norimichi became an adopted son-in-law of FUJIWARA no Kinto of the Ononomiya family and handed down Kinto's book of "Hokuzansho" (a representative book of ceremonies for the Heian period). By this, he succeeded in combining ancient practices of Ononomiya-ryu and formed the Mido-ryu practices. In the time of FUJIWARA no Tadazane after the internal conflict over the position of Sekkan in the Insei (cloister government) period, there was a thought raised to value Mido-ryu practices as a symbol of unified of all Mido-ryu family including the Sekke; and the idea of thinking of Mido-ryu as a practice for people who belong to Mido-ryu was well-established.