List of The Tale of Genji Characters - Characters - Part III

Part III

• Kaoru - is the protagonist of Part III. Legally he is known as the son of Genji and Onna san no miya but his real father is the late Kashiwagi. Learning this secret makes him noncommittal and lean towards Buddhism. He falls in love with Oigimi in Uji, the first daughter of Hachinomiya, but she dies. He later fell in love with Ukifune whose features are quite similar to the late Oigimi, but their relationship also fails.

• Perfumed Highness or Fragrant Highness (Nio no miya) - Nio no miya is the third prince of the current Emperor by Empress Akashi, therefore a grandson of Genji. Nio no miya is the best friend to Kaoru. He is known a man of love affairs. He falls in love to Naka no kimi in Uji, the second daughter of Hachinomiya and the younger sister of O no kimi. Despite some opposition, he makes Naka no kimi a wife. He rapes Ukifune, her half-sister who eventually stayed at her, and this incident drives her to suicide.

• Oigimi - the elder daughter of Hachinomiya (The 8th Prince), pursued by Kaoru. Becomes sick and dies after failing to take care of Nakanokimi.

• Naka no kimi - the younger daughter of Hachinomiya, pursued (and made wife of) Niou.

• Ukifune - An illegitimate daughter of Hachinomiya, the eighth prince of Emperor Kiritsubo. Her presence is almost not known by her father. She eventually meets her half-sister Naka no kimi, the second daughter of Hachinomiya, and now a wife of Nio no miya. While she is staying with her sister, Nio no miya rapes her. Suffering a sense of betrayal Ukifune decides to die and dives into Uji River. Her life is saved by a passing Buddhist monk priest. Ukifune decides to be a nun and refuses Kaoru who sends her brother as a messenger and tries to persuade her to come back to him.