Life During the Time of Murasaki Shikibu
Murasaki Shikibu was born during the Heian period, which lasted from c. 794 to 1185. This time period was considered the “golden age of Japan”. Nobles lived a very privileged life, which consisted of living in beautiful, gigantic mansions, wearing exquisite clothing/ accessories, watching sumo wrestling, and attending festivals. Literature was another big part of the Japanese nobles’ lives. Many famous Japanese pieces were produced during this era, because of the huge amount of leisure time the nobles experienced. In other words, since the Heian period was a time of peace for Japan, the nobles had time to focus in other areas, such as art, literature, and luxury.