In the days of Michinaga, FUJIWARA no Naritoki and FUJIWARA no Kinto of the collateral line also built villas in Shirakawa, so that the Shirakawa betsugyo was called 'O Shirakawa' (Big Shirakawa) to distinguish it from their villas ('Ko Shirakawa' - Small Shirakawa.)
道長の時代には庶流の藤原済時・藤原公任も別業を白河に設けたために、これら（「小白河」）と区別するために「大白河」と呼んだ。