Daughter of the principal wife of the Minister of the Left and sister of To no Chujo. Genji's offiial wife. Possessed by the Rokujo lady's malign spirit after the carriage altercation at the hollyhock festival. Gives birth to Yugiri and dies. Does not recite a poem in the novel.
Daughter of an officer of the third rank and mistress of To no Chujo, bearing him Tamakazura. Later, falls in love with Genji, but dies suddenly one night during a tryst at a certain temple. It is unknown whether the cause of death is a ghost at the temple or the Rokujo lady's malign spirit.
Daughter of To no Chujo. Her mother is the principal wife of the Lord Inspector, but is raised by her grandmother. Marries her childhood sweetheart Yugiri, and they have several children.
Daughter of Prince Hyobu, and niece to Fujitsubo. Discovered in the northern hills by Genji, and is promoted in rank to that equivalent to an official wife after the death of Aoi. Works to bing peace to the Rokujo mansion after the Third Princess is married. Dies without ever getting permission from Genji to become a nun.
The third daughter of the Suzaku Emperor, borne by Fujitsubo. Like Lady Murasaki, a niece to Fujitsubo. Marries Genji but disappoints him due to her lack of worldliness. Has a secret affair with Kashiwagi and bears him an illegitimate child, Kaoru. She then becomes a nun, thereby increasing Genji's desire for her.
Daughter of the Eighth Prince. Courted by Kaoru, but urges him to marry Nakanokimi, against her own true feelings. Despairs of ever marrying after seeing Niou and Nakanokimi, her younger sister, marry. Slowly withers and dies.
Empress to the Kiritsubo Emperor. The living image of Genji's mother, a deceased concubine of the Kiritsubo Emperor. Begins an affair with Genji later giving birth to the Reizei Emperor. Avoids Genji's courtship after the death of the Kiritsubo Emperor, abdicating and becoming a nun to make way for the ascendancy of the Reizei Emperor.
Sixth daughter of the Minister of the Right and younger sister of Empress Kokiden. Was scheduled to be presented at court, but meets Genji, and becomes a lady-in-waiting of the Suzaku Emperor. Continues her relationship with Genji thereafter, being the main reason for his voluntary exile to Suma.
Daughter of the Akashi monk and nun. Bears Genji the Princess Akashi. Aware of her low position, entrusts Princess Akashi to Lady Murasaki to be raised. Goes into seclusion. Bears royal offspring and thereby attains glory.
Daughter of the Eighth Prince and the Lady Chujo. Taken to Uji as the living image of the dead Oigimi by Kaoru, but gets involved with Niou, and decides to drown herself in the Uji river. Saved by the bishop of Yokawa and becomes a nun. Does not respond to Kaoru's letters.
Daughter of Emon no Kami, and later wife of Iyo no Suke. Passes a night of love with Genji, who is forced to spend the night at her mansion due the unpropitious direction of his journey. She refuses him thereafter, increasing his desire. In her later years she becomes a nun and is under the protection of Genji. Thought to be an autobiographical character.
Younger sister of Reikeiden, the concubine of the Kiritsubo Emperor. One of Genji's many mistresses. Brought to live at the Rokujo mansion, giving political backing to Yugiri and Tamakazura. Genji's affection for this woman of modest beauty is a sign of his generosity.
Daughter of To no Chujo and the Lady of the Evening Faces. Moves temporarily to Tsukushi, but is brought to the Rokujo mansion by Genji, distraught over the death of her mother. Courted by young noblemen. Her unexpected marriage to Higekuro shocks and upsets Genji.
The previous concubine to the Togu emperor and mother of Empress Akikonomu. Is widowed by Togu and is an off-and-on mistress of Genji's. Her malign spirit kills Aoi. She then moves to Ise. Upon her return to the capital, entrusts her daughter to Genji and passes away. Genji's Rokujo mansion is her old residence.
Eldest daughter of the Minister of the Right. Is presented at the Kiritsubo Emperor's court, and bears him his first prince (the later Suzaku Emperor). Is characterized as bad person in the novel, but is actually a faithful representation of the mores common to the time among the nobility.
Daughter of the first wife of Iyo no Suke, later husband of the Lady of the Locust Shell. Is mistaken by Genji for the Lady of the Locust Shell, and spends the night with him. Although beautiful, lacks refinement, making the Lady of the Locust Shell's modesty that much more apparent.
Daughter of Prince Hitachi. Is plain, old-fashioned, and unworldly. Cannot really compose poems very well, either. Faithfully awaits Genji's return throughout his period of troubles, and is taken in by him once they meet again.
First prince of the Kiritsubo Emperor, borne by Kokiden. Ascends to the throne after his father's abdication, only to abdicate himself after three years. Oborozukiyo is his favorite. His love for the Empress Akikonomu is blocked by Genji. In later years becomes a monk after entrusting his daughter, the Third Princess, to Genji.
Daughter of Prince Shikibu at the Momozono Palace. Hearing rumors of the Rokujo lady, and fearing she will suffer because of her love for Genji, rejects his offers of love. Genji's affections for her create a sense of crisis for Lady Murasaki.
Daughter of the Rokujo lady and the late Togu Emperor. Head priestess at the Suzaku court. Is presented at the Reizei Court after Genji. Wins the court picture contest with Genji's Suma journal, going on to become Empress. Her lack of children means Genji's bloodline will not continue in the imperial family.
Brother of Shokoden, the concubine of the Suzaku Emperor (mother of the current emperor). His principal wife is the daughter of Prince Shikibu, but he falls in love with Tamakazura, forcing her to be his.
Illegitimate daughter of To no Chujo. Is opposed to the Rokujo mansion built by Genji, who has acquired Tamakazura, and is found out. Is an object of ridicule due to her provincial upbringing.
Legitimate child of the Minister of the Left and brother of Aoi. Friend of Genji's, participating in the "rainy-night appraisal" and Genji's sometime rival in love. Dances the "Waves of the Blue Ocean" with Genji. Visits Suma. Later, becomes a political rival, opposing the union of Kumoinokari and Yugiri, but makes peace with Genji after being brought together with his long-lost daughter, Tamakazura.
Son of Genji's nurse. Acts as an assistant in Genji's secret affairs. Handles affairs after the death of the Lady of the Evening Faces. Accompanies Genji to Suma. His daughter is the Gosechi Dancer, who is joined with Yugiri and five children with him.
Legitimate son of Genji and Aoi. Studies to become a scholar. Falls in love with Lady Murasaki when he catches a glimpse of her on the morning after the typhoon. Overcomes obstacles to marry his first love, Kumoinokari. Later falls in love with Kahshiwagi's widow, the Princess Rakuyo, and spends half the month with one, half the month with the other.
Legitimate son of To no Chujo and the Fourth Princess, daughter of the Minister of the Right. Courts Tamakazura in the tenth chapter, unaware that she is his direct sister. Later, has a secret affair with the Third Princess. Fears Genji's wrath, and dies. Comes to Yugiri in a dream, and asks him to pass on his flute to Kaoru.
Second princess of the Suzaku Emperor and Lady Ichijo. Becomes the official wife of Kashiwagi, who is in love with the Third Princess, but he dies without loving her. Courted by Yugiri and has no choice but to remarry.
Illegitimate child of the Third Princess and Kashiwagi. Raised as Genji's child. Desires to learn the ways of Buddhism, and becomes good friends with the Eighth Prince at Uji. Falls in love with the Eighth Prince's eldest daughter, Oigimi, and then with her younger sister, Nakanokimi, and Ukifune, after the death of Oigimi. Meanwhile, is promoted exceptionally rapidly at the capital, and achieves earthly glory by marrying the second princess of the current emperor.
Third prince of the Akashi Empress and the current emperor. Cultivates a rivalry with Kaoru over perfumes. Marries Nakanokimi from Uji, but ends up in a three-way relationship with Kaoru and Ukifune. A passionate prince.
The eighth prince of the Kiritsubo Emperor. Gets invovled in the skullduggery of the Minister of the Right, and retires into seclusion in Uji, where he practices religious abstention without becoming a monk. After the death of his wife, raises his two daughters himself, and warns them against careless marriage. Dies soon thereafter.
Second daughter of the Eighth Prince. After her father's death, marries Niou, goes to the capital, and has a child, but is shocked by Niou's marriage to Yugiri's daughter, Rokunokimi. Wooed persistently by Kaoru, respects her deceased older sister for her wisdom in refusing to marry.
