COURT LADY'S FULL DRESS IN THE HEIAN PERIOD — (For explanation see List of Illustrations)...

The poems in the text, slight and occasional as they are, depending often for their charm on plays upon words of two meanings, or on the suggestions conveyed to the Japanese mind by a single word, have presented problems of great difficulty to the translators, not perfectly overcome. Izumi Shikibu's Diary is written with extreme delicacy of treatment. English words and thought seem too downright a medium into which to render these evanescent, half-expressed sentences and poems—vague as the misty

The Japanese have a convenient method of calling their historical periods by the names of the places which were the seats of government while they lasted. The first of these epochs of real importance is the Nara Period, which began A.D. 710 and endured until 794; all before that may be classed as archaic. Previous to the Nara Period, the Japanese had been a semi-nomadic race. As each successive Mikado came to the throne, he built himself a new palace, and founded a new capital; there had been mo

I was brought up in a distant province [1] which lies farther than the farthest end of the Eastern Road. I am ashamed to think that inhabitants of the Royal City will think me an uncultured girl. Somehow I came to know that there are such things as romances in the world and wished to read them. When there was nothing to do by day or at night, one tale or another was told me by my elder sister or stepmother, and I heard several chapters about the shining Prince Genji. [2] My longing for such stor

As the autumn season approaches the Tsuchimikado [2] becomes inexpressibly smile-giving. The tree-tops near the pond, the bushes near the stream, are dyed in varying tints whose colours grow deeper in the mellow light of evening. The murmuring sound of waters mingles all the night through with the never-ceasing recitation [3] of sutras which appeal more to one's heart as the breezes grow cooler. The ladies waiting upon her honoured presence are talking idly. The Queen hears them; she must find t

Many months had passed in lamenting the World, [1] more shadowy than a dream. Already the tenth day of the Deutzia month was over. A deeper shade lay under the trees and the grass on the embankment was greener. [2] These changes, unnoticed by any, seemed beautiful to her, and while musing upon them a man stepped lightly along behind the hedge. She was idly curious, but when he came towards her she recognized the page of the late prince. [3] He came at a sorrowful moment, so she said, "Is your co

The year was divided according to a Lunar Calendar, which was one month or so in advance of the present Solar Calendar. NAMES OF THE MONTHS First month; Social month; Spring-birth month. Second month; Clothes-again-doubled month; Little-grass-growing month. Third month; Ever-growing month; Flowery month; Dreaming month. Fourth month; Deutzia month; First Summer month. Fifth month; Rice-sprout month; Tachibana month. Sixth month; Watery month (rice-fields filled with water). Seventh month; Rice-e

974. Izumi Shikibu, the daughter of Masamune, Governor of the Province of Echizen, born. 977. Prince Tametaka (future lover of Izumi Shikibu) born. 978. Prince Atsumichi (future lover of Izumi Shikibu) born. Murasaki Shikibu, daughter of Fujiwara Tametoki, born. 980. Prince Yasuhito (afterwards the Mikado Ichijo) born. 988. Akiko, Michinaga's first daughter, born. 990. Sadako, daughter of Michinaga's eldest brother Michitaka, comes to the Court, and later becomes Queen to Mikado Ichijo. 991. Sei