Keywords
Art History
Painting
A pictorial subject based on Chapter 11 of Genji monogatari 源氏物語 (The Tale of Genji), "The Orange Blossoms" Hanachirusato (the village of scattering blossoms). Hanachirusato is the name of the village and the name given to Genji's love who lives there, the younger sister of Lady Reikeiden, Reikeiden no Nyōgo 麗景殿女御, a minor consort of the late *Kiritsubo 桐壷, Genji's father. Genji visits the village one clear night during the rainy season of the Fifth Month, samidare 五月雨. Illustrations of this very short chapter usually show Genji talking with the two sisters. In the garden are orange blossoms (tachibana 橘 a common symbol for past lovers) illuminated by a three-quarter moon while a nightingale hototogisu 時鳥 sings.
