Fujiwara no Koremichi (藤原伊通)
FUJIWARA no Koremichi (1093 - April 4, 1165) was a noble who lived in the late Heian period. He was the second son of FUJIWARA no Munemichi (a son of FUJIWARA no Toshiie, who was Udaijin (minister of the right)), who was Gon Dainagon (provisional chief councilor of state). His mother was a daughter of FUJIWARA no Akisue, who was Rokujo Shuri no Daibu. He had younger brothers from the same mother, FUJIWARA no Suemichi and FUJIWARA no Narimichi. He married a daughter of FUJIWARA no Akitaka, who was Gon Chunagon (a provisional vice-councilor of state) and has children with her including FUJIWARA no Tamemichi and FUJIWARA no Korezane.
In 1122, he was promoted to Sangi (Royal Advisors). In 1130, however, he gave up his post because he was displeased with the promotion of FUJIWARA no Nagazane to Chunagon (vice-councilor of state), who became Sangi after Koremichi. Three years later, in 1133, he returned to politics in the imperial court and he was promoted to Gon Chunagon.
He approached FUJIWARA no Tadamichi, who was Kanpaku (chief adviser to the Emperor), and, in 1150, he succeed in realizing his daughter FUJIWARA no Teishi's judai (an Imperial Consort's bridal entry into court) as Tadamichi's adopted daughter. In addition, by acquiring trust from FUJIWARA no Nariko [Tokushi] (Bifukumonin) and Tadamichi and strengthening his influence, in 1160 during Emperor Nijo's era, he was promoted to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) Daijodaijin (Grand minister of state) succeeding his cousin, FUJIWARA no Munesuke. After that, he stayed in the position for five years until he died and he was called 'Kujo no Daishokoku' because he had his residence in Kujo. He is also known by the fact that he authored 'Daikaihisho,' in which he told how the politics in the imperial court should be and presented it to Emperor Nijo. In response, the Emperor Nijo entrusted Koremichi together with Tadamichi, who was Kanpaku, and increased a shinsei (direct administration)-oriented way of thinking and confronted the Emperor Goshirakawa.
For Koremichi, Tokushi was a maternal cousin (although she was a daughter of above-mentioned Nagazane) and Tadamichi was the husband of his younger sister. Certainly the power of such an uxorial fraction also worked as the background for his promotion, but his own great resources played an important role and he was one of the top class courtiers at that time. He had outstanding political ingenuity, but he was an excellent man of letters who was accomplished in the art of poetry and music, and had a really strong presence in other aspects as well, often making people in the imperial court laugh through the use of his witty narration.
After the Heiji War in 1159, reportedly, Koremichi watched FUJIWARA no Nobuyori make awards at his own sweet will and treat samurai (warriors) favorably, saying 'If those who killed many persons get prizes, why no official rank is given to the well in Sanjo-dono,' and thus severely criticized Nobuyori who was the leader of the War (His words were to ridicule the fact that many court ladies killed themselves by jumping into the well when Nobuyori-side's army surrounded the Sanjo-dono).
He left his diary "Gon Dainagon Koremichikyo Ki." With respect to certain contents of his diary, records for April 5, 1125 can be seen in "Byakudan Mihotoke Onjihitsu Hokkekyo Kuyo Buruiki" (白檀御仏御自筆法華経供養部類記) in Fushimi no Miya Onkiroku and the record for April 2, 1149 is included in "Honcho Seiki" (Chronicle of Imperial Reigns) on the page of the same day.