まんがで読む 源氏物語

Manga de Yomu: Genji Monogatari

A re-telling of the “Tale of Genji” in manga-form. The “Tale of Genji” is a story from a long novel written by novelist Murasaki Shikibu. It was written about 1000 years ago, during the Heian era. It details the showy life and romantic exploits of Genji no Kimi (Lord Genji), otherwise known as “Hikaru Genji (The Shining Prince)” for his peerless beauty and features the life and culture of the Heian Imperial Court. By describing human life with its heart-rendering moments and the difficult times of separation and sadness, this piece of literature has come to be known to embody the concept of “the pathos of things” (mono no aware). Known as the world’s earliest romance novel, it has been translated into many languages all over the world.