The Diary of the Yu Tang Dian was written by female attendants who served in the Yu Tang Dian, or Imperial Bath Hall, inside the Seiryo-den. It is a valuable historical and linguistic source for learning about daily life within the palace, the comings and goings of Sengoku-period warlords, and the language used by court ladies. The surviving entries span from the Bunmei era to the middle of the Edo period. Presented here are selected entries from the first month of Bunmei 9 (1477) to the first month of Bunmei 12 (1480). They describe the daily activities of the emperor, consorts, court nobles, and others, including New Year greetings, Buddhist services, banquets, and gifts. They also record political events, ceremonial customs, and social conditions of the time, revealing many details of court life.
