tsukuri monogatari

Tsukuri monogatari are a subgenre of Japanese monogatari, which are works of fiction, particularly from the Heian to Muromachi periods (794–1573). These courtly romances developed from the storytelling traditions of women in the Heian court, though some early works may have been written by men under women's names.1

A prime example of tsukuri monogatari is Murasaki Shikibu's Genji monogatari (c. 1010), considered a masterpiece of Japanese literature and the world's first important novel. It focuses on Prince Genji's romantic relationships. Like other monogatari, these stories often incorporate poems and verse fragments.1