Nakatsukasa (中務)
Nakatsukasa (ca. 912-ca. 991) was a female poet who lived in the mid-Heian period. She was one of the 36 Immortal Poets. Because her father, Imperial Prince Atsuyoshi, a son of the Emperor Uda, was Nakatsukasa-kyo (Minister of the Ministry of Central Affairs), she was designated as Nakatsukasa. Her mother was a female poet, Ise. Her parental half-brothers were Gyobukyo (Minister of Justice) MINAMOTO no Koko and MINAMOTO no Hoko.
The poems composed by Nakatsukasa can be seen in collections of poems such as 'Gosen Wakashu' (Later Selected Collection of Japanese Poetry), 'Saneakira shu' (personal collection of MINAMOTO no Saneakira), 'Motosuke shu' (personal collection of KIYOHARA no Motosuke), and 'Minamoto no Shitago shu' (personal collection of MINAMOTO no Shitago). She had relationships with many scions of nobility, and was especially intimately related to MINAMOTO no Saneaki. Her other lovers were Imperial Prince Motoyoshi, Imperial Prince Tsuneakira, Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor) FUJIWARA no Saneyori, FUJIWARA no Morouji, and FUJIWARA no Morotada.
Her collection of poetry is 'Nakatsukasa shu.'