Kai Nieminen – Genji’s Story

The world’s first great novel and the most highly regarded work in Japanese literature.

The Emperor’s son, Hikaru Genji, lives in Kyoto at the end of the 10th century, caught up in the political intrigues of the court. As a young man, he is known for his romantic escapades, but as he grows older, Genji develops into a respected statesman. Later, Genji’s descendants, as well as the descendants of his friends and enemies, take centre stage.

The novel celebrates beauty: the characters communicate through poetry, and the women of the upper classes find meaning even in the scent of incense, flowers and birds. The work depicts people’s sorrows and joys from a thousand years ago with a surprisingly timeless psychological insight.

Kai Nieminen and Martti Turunen are responsible for the skilful and meticulous translation of *The Tale of Genji* into Finnish. Nieminen has also compiled the explanatory notes accompanying the text, which provide further information about the era and culture in which the work is set.

Murasaki Shikibu (c. 973 – c. 1014) was a writer and poet who served for many years as a lady-in-waiting to the Japanese Empress. She wrote about the world she knew – the Japanese court and human relationships – initially mainly to entertain the other ladies-in-waiting. The Tale of Genji is one of the most significant works in world literature.

Agricola House, free admission – coffee served