This exhibition showcases love letters from the Heian period (794–1185), when romance among the aristocracy was expressed through the elegant art of waka poetry—each composed of just 31 syllables.

In an era when men and women had few opportunities to meet in person, love often began with whispers and rumors. Feelings were conveyed through waka, written on delicately dyed paper, imbued with fragrance, and tied to graceful branches of seasonal plants. These letters were not merely written expressions—they were multisensory gestures of affection, combining beauty in language, calligraphy, paper, and scent.

Discovering the refined culture of courtly love through poetic expression, the graceful use of kana script.