After her father Michinaga had ignored an imperial order and seized power in 995, when Shoshi was 8 years old, she was raised as the daughter of the court administrator, closely supervised by her attendants.
長徳元年（995年）、彰子8歳の時に、父道長が内覧の宣旨を蒙り政権を掌握し、それ以後、執政者の長女として世人の嘱目のもとに育つ。