Genji is the second son of a Japanese emperor, but he is relegated to civilian life for political reasons and lives as an imperial officer.

Hikaru Genji was attractive and talented, easily gaining the favor of those around him at a young age.

Describing his superlative qualities, Murasaki Shikibu wrote: "but to recount all his virtues would, I fear, give rise to a suspicion that I distort the truth.

"[2] His appearance tempted men and women alike, as he had smooth white skin, excellent fashion sense, which increased his fame and popularity.

It is common to divide the tale into three parts, and this article follows that custom, but the division is not made explicit in the original version of the story written by Lady Murasaki.

Utsusemi, the wife of the Iyo Deputy and stepmother of the Governor of Kii, is memorable as the first woman Genji courts in the tale and also, arguably, as the first to resist him.

He had two wives in the legal sense during his life; he married Lady Aoi (Aoi no Ue､葵の上) in his youth, and much later Onna san no Miya (女三の宮) (meaning "The Third Princess", called so in Japanese, and known as Nyōsan in the Arthur Waley translation.)

But she officially remained his concubine, and that was one of the reasons Genji was offered the opportunity to marry the Third Princess in the second part of the story.

Genji couldn't reject this offer because of his affection for Fujitsubo, but Onna san no miya was so young that she turned out to be too naïve, and he was very disappointed and had many regrets.

She was nominally the Head of Ladies-in-waiting and no official consort, but it was a scandal, and gave a pretext to political opponents.

This prince ascended to the throne, but he learned the secret of his birth by chance, and wanted to abdicate in favor of his real father, Genji.

Kashiwagi (柏木), a friend of his son Yugiri (夕霧), hence a nephew of Lady Aoi, lusted after Onna san no Miya and sought her love even after her marriage with Genji.