Hiragana
Hiragana is a cursive Japanese kana script used for grammatical endings, particles, readings, and many words written phonetically.
Heian period
Heian-kyō
Heian-kyō was the planned imperial capital founded in 794 and the historical urban framework from which Kyoto developed.
The Pillow Book
The Pillow Book combines lists, observations, anecdotes, poetry, and crafted memories of Sei Shōnagon’s life in the Heian court.
The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji is an early eleventh-century Japanese court narrative attributed to Murasaki Shikibu, combining fiction, poetry, politics, and reflections on time and attachment.
Gagaku
Gagaku is Japan’s court music and dance tradition, combining indigenous repertories with adapted continental forms transmitted through ceremonial institutions and specialist ensembles.