Treasures of JapanA catalogue of Japan's designated cultural properties
2,690 works catalogued

Home › Browse › Calligraphy & Books › Heian period › Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon)

Important Cultural Property

Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon)

明月記 建久十年春 自筆本
Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon) (明月記 建久十年春 自筆本)
PLATE IImage: Kyoto National Museum, via ColBase — CC BY 4.0
At a glance — Calligraphy & Book · Heian period, 12th century · held by Kyoto National Museum · designated Important Cultural Property of Japan · Fujiwara Sadaie.

Fact Sheet

Designation
Important Cultural Property (重要文化財)
Date
1101–1200
Creator
Fujiwara Sadaie (藤原定家、権中納言定家)
Dimensions
Height28.5cmWidth1522cm
Catalogue ID
cobas-167730

Find more

This is a segment from Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon), the diary of the renowned poet and literary critic, Fujiwara Teika (Sadaie; 1162-1241). Brushed in his own hand, the calligraphy is typical of Teika's style in his later year. The entries include the period beginning on New Year's Day of 1199 (Kenkyû 10) through the third month of the same year. The diary records the death of Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), the first Kamakura shogun.

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.

Record & Sources

Cite this page: “Meigetsuki (The Record of the Clear Moon)（明月記 建久十年春 自筆本）.” Treasures of Japan, catalogue no. cobas-167730. Kyoto National Museum. https://treasures.yamato-kenkou.com/treasures/meigetsuki-the-record-of-the-clear-moon/ — entry last verified 1 November 2026.
Full record data (as published in the official catalogue record)
  • Genre: Calligraphy
  • Cultural property designation: Important Cultural Property
  • Size: Height28.5cmWidth1522cm
  • Category: Calligraphy:Category:Books:Buddhist texts|Calligraphy:Region:Japan|Calligraphy:Formats and mountings:Handscrolls|Calligraphy:Period:Japan:Kamakura period
  • 員数: 1巻
  • 分類: 書跡
  • 法量: 縦28.5cm:横1522cm
  • 種別: 書跡:分類:典籍:仏典|書跡:地域:日本|書跡:装丁・形態:巻子|書跡:時代:日本:鎌倉

Also at the Kyoto National Museum More →

More calligraphy & books of the Heian period More →

More by Fujiwara Sadaie More →

Important Cultural Property
Letter of Entreaty (申文)

Letter of Entreaty

申文
Calligraphy & Books · Kamakura, 1202TNM
Advertisement