Princess Shikishi or Shokushi was a Japanese classical poet, who lived during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. She was the third daughter of Emperor Go-Shirakawa. In 1159, Shikishi, who did not marry, went into service as saiin at the Kamo Shrine in Kyoto. She left the shrine after some time, and in her later years became a Buddhist nun.
Shikishi Naishinnō in the Hyakunin Isshu.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the insei system – scholars differ as to whether his rule can be truly considered part of the insei system, given that the Hōgen Rebellion undermined the imperial position. However, it is broadly acknowledged that by politically outmaneuvering his opponents, he attained greater influence and power than the diminished authority of the emperor's position during this period would otherwise allow.
Emperor Go-Shirakawa
The Heiji Rebellion of 1160
Tomb of Emperor Go-Shirakawa in Kyoto
Signboard by Imperial Household Agency