Fujiwara no Tamako

Fujiwara no Tamako 藤原璋子
Portrait owned by Hōkongō-in (法金剛院?)
Empress consort of Japan
Born	1101
Died	September 10, 1145
Spouse	Emperor Toba
House	House of Yamato
Father	Fujiwara no Kinzane (藤原公実?)
Mother	Fujiwara no Mitsuko (藤原光子?)

Fujiwara no Tamako (藤原 璋子^?, 1101 – September 10, 1145), also known as Taikenmon-in (待賢門院^?), was an Empress consort of Emperor Toba of Japan, and mother of Emperor Sutoku and Emperor Go-Shirakawa. She was the eldest daughter of Fujiwara no Kinzane (藤原公実^?).

Tamako's father died when she was seven years old, and she was raised by the retired Emperor Shirakawa and his favorite mistress Gion no Nyōgo (祇園女御^?). Once she grew up, she was almost engaged to the heir of the regent Fujiwara clan, Fujiwara no Tadamichi, but his father Fujiwara no Tadazane incurred Shirakawa's displeasure by declining the offer due to rumors about Tamako's behavior.

In early 1118, with Shirakawa as her godfather, Tamako entered the court of her cousin Emperor Toba. Just a month later, she was invested as Empress Consort (chūgū). In mid-1119 she bore Toba's first child, Prince Akihito. In early 1123, Shirakawa had the five-year-old Prince Akihito ascend to the throne as Emperor Sutoku, and in 1124 Tamako was bestowed the title Taikenmon-in. Around this time Tamako also bore Princess Kishi, Prince Michihito, and Prince Kimihito, but these two princes were born handicapped. She bore Princess Muneko in 1126, and Prince Masahito less than a year later, in 1127. In 1129 she had her final child, Prince Motohito.