The Heian Poet of Old Kyoto

The Heian period (794–1185) produced one of history's most refined literary cultures, centered on the imperial court in Kyoto. Aristocrats exchanged waka poems as everyday communication — courtship, apology, grief, even small talk — and the beauty of your handwriting and the subtlety of your seasonal references mattered as much as the words. It was the world of The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book.

This was a culture of mono no aware — a tender awareness of the impermanence of things, the ache of a falling cherry blossom. To live well was to feel deeply and to express that feeling with restraint and grace. Many of its greatest poets were women whose work still defines Japanese literature.