The Pillow Book (枕草子, makura no sōshi) was a book of observations and musings recorded by Sei Shōnagon during her time as court lady to Empress Sadako during the 990s in Heian Japan.
In it she included lists of all kinds (agreeable things, disagreeable things, things without merit), personal thoughts, interesting events in court, poetry and some opinions on her contemporaries. While it is a mostly personal work, Shonagon's writing and poetic skill makes it interesting as a work of literature, and it is valuable as an historical document. Part of it was known to the Court by accident during Shonagon's life.
There is an unrelated movie by the same name, by director Peter Greenaway.
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