Lord Fujiwara is a supporting character in Grass for his Pillow and one of two main antagonists in Brilliance of the Moon. A nobleman, originally from Miyako (the Imperial Capital) he becomes drawn into the politics of the Three Countries after becoming obsessed with Shirakawa Kaede, ultimately leading to his downfall. His son, Kono, becomes a supporting antagonist in The Harsh Cry of the Heron.
Background:[]
Fujiwara is a former member of the Emperor's court, meaning that although he lacks the actual power of the warrior class, he is far above them in terms of prestige and social rank. His family holds most of their property and wealth in lands near Miyako, but they also hold a large and well-guarded estate in the West Country, alongside the Shirakawa domain. Fujiwara was once one of the Emperor's favorites until some of his writings apparently aroused controversy, at which point he was informally banished from court, though not stripped of his property. It is indicated that he still held some significant political influence at Miyako, in spite of his exile. Fujiwara spent his exile much the same way he had at court: writing, collecting rare and exotic treasures, and staging and attending dramas (most likely Noh or Kabuki) as well as passing information about the Three Countries back to the Imperial Court. After Arai Daiichi's conquest of the Tohan, Fujiwara began to correspond with and occasionally visit Lord Shirakawa, his neighbor and Kaede's father.
Although Fujiwara's estate was often a haven for people of unusual and perfected talents, it was also greatly feared; Fujiwara only tolerated unusual gifts or traits if they could be made to serve him, and if they were marred or no longer useful he would dispose of them decisively. Servants might be put to death for seemingly-trivial offenses in his effort to preserve the atmosphere of "perfection" that he attempted to maintain.
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