National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The diary of Fujiwara no Teika (1162–1241) is called Meigetsuki (or Shokoki). It comprises 56 years of his diary from 1180 to 1235. While most of its parts have been handed down to the present in the form of a transcription, this one is of his own writing. His handwriting is not particularly of good quality, but rather idiosyncratic and reflects his obstinate and competitive character. In the modern period, however, his writing style became popular as the "Teika Style" as masters of tea ceremony like Kobori Enshu (1579–1647) and Matsudaira Fumai (1751–1818) followed his style.