Description

Located in a tiny plot at the crossing of Kitaoji and Horikawa is Murasaki's tomb. Her principal residence was near Rozan-ji and, yes, it is conjectured that this is the spot for her grave. The stones here are modern, but classical literature aficionados will stop for a few minutes. It is generally accepted that she wrote a diary and a collection of poems in addition to the major part of the Tale of Genji, often called world literature's first novel. After being widowed in 1001, she was summoned to serve at court by Michinaga Fujiwara to be a lady in waiting for his daughter, Akiko, which provided background for her plots.