Fujiwara no Nariko

Fujiwara no Nariko 藤原得子
Portrait owned by Anrakuju-in
Empress consort of Japan
Born	1117
Died	December 22, 1160
Spouse	Emperor Toba
House	House of Yamato
Father	Fujiwara no Nagazane (藤原長実?)
Mother	Minamoto no Masako (源方子?)

Fujiwara no Nariko (藤原得子^?, 1117 – December 22, 1160), also known as Bifukumon-in (美福門院^?), was an Empress consort of Emperor Toba of Japan and mother of Emperor Konoe. She was the daughter of the chūnagon Fujiwara no Nagazane (藤原長実^?) and Minamoto no Masako (源方子^?).

Born in 1117, Nariko grew up with her father Nagazane's doting affection. According to the Imakagami, he commented that he could not bring himself to marry her to an ordinary person. Nariko's maternal uncle Minamoto no Morotoki (源師時^?) recorded in his diary that even when Nagazane was on his deathbed, he shed tears and said that he could not forget his dear girl for even a moment.

Nagazane was favored in the court because his grandmother Fujiwara no Chikako (藤原親子^?) acted as wetnurse to the future Emperor Shirakawa, and during Shirakawa's cloistered rule, Nagazane served as his attendant. In 1134, after Nagazane's death, Nariko gained the affection of the retired Emperor Toba, and in late 1135 gave birth to Princess Eishi (叡子内親王^?). Early in 1136, she was conferred the junior third rank (従三位^?). In 1137 she gave birth to Princess Akiko (暲子内親王^?), and in 1139 to a long-awaited son, Prince Narihito, the future Emperor Konoe. Three months later, Toba made Narihito crown prince and thus successor to Emperor Sutoku. Nariko was promoted to the position of nyōgo (女御^?), surpassing Toba's main wife Fujiwara no Tamako in influence. In 1140, she adopted Emperor Sutoku's first son Prince Shigehito (重仁親王^?).