The reason why the wife of a sessho (regent) and kanpaku (chief advisor to the Emperor) were called Kita no Mandokoro (the north Mandokoro) derives from the fact that the wife took initiative in matters of domestic economy in her family (This was also due to the wives' living quarters often being located on the north side of the residence).
摂政・関白の夫人を北政所と称するのも、夫人が家庭内の家政を統括していた事に由来している（その住まいは邸宅の北側に設置される事が多かった）。