Has anyone got any recommendations on books from or about Heian Period Japan? I'm especially interested in poetic diaries but also general history of the time, poetry or even fiction set in that time.
I have already read The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon and The Gossamer Years. I'm also in the middle of reading The diary of Murasaki and As I crossed a bridge of dreams.
Are there any obscure classics I'm missing?

I think there are some other slightly later diaries, and there are plenty of interesting scholarly works on the period. My personal thing is Abe no Seimei stories, both the legit folklore and the cheesy pop culture. I have a few things tagged 'heian period' in my library. Maybe one of them would appeal.

Yeah The Pillow Book Is So Kool Im mean I like Books by Japanese people and manga but im more of the poetry Hiku if thats how u spell it thing ya know

There is a book out called The world of the shining prince which is all about court life during that time. It's non-fiction but I enjoyed reading it and learning about the times. Also if you're interested in earlier Heian Times you should try Tosa Diary. the tale of genji is perhaps the best known of the Heian times writings and it is fiction but quite lengthy. The only other major work I know that is primarily set in the Heian period is the Tale of murasaki which is historical fiction by a modern day auther.

I hope this helps.

Helen McCullough's translation of Ise Monogatari
伊勢物語 is also quite readable.

Try Donald Keene. He's translated and edited tons of Japanese literature. I have a book of modern diaries he translated, but he's also got one called Travelers of a Hundred Ages that has a section about Heian diaries. He also published an Anthology of Japanese Literature.

Message edited by its author, Sep 19, 2009, 5:36am.