The Tosa Diary represents the oldest extant Japanese prose fiction and the beginnings of the great tradition of diary literature. Written in 935, the book is the record of an arduous 55-day 200-mile journey by sea from Tosa, where the author had served as governor, to Kyoto, the capital. Narrated in the first person by a female persona, it provides modern readers not only with a fascinating look at Japanese life and travel in the tenth century but also an insight into the author's humanity and stylistic excellence.