Da Kazusa a Heiankyō, mille anni dopo Rileggere il viaggio narrato da Sugawara no Takasue no musume nel Sarashina nikki

This paper analyzes the journey from Kazusa to Heiankyō narrated by Sugawara no Takasue no Musume in the Sarashina nikki (The Sarashina Diary, ca. 1060), one of the most representative works of women’s diary literature from the Heian period (794‑1185). Starting from the celebrations held in Japan in 2020 to commemorate the thousandth anniversary of this journey, the study aims to investigate how the experience of a young aristocratic woman – driven by lofty ideals – reflects broader themes of transition and transformation. The paper argues that the journey represents not merely a spatial displacement but also a significant formative process of cultural repositioning and social reintegration. This experience serves as a preparatory phase necessary for the protagonist to assume the roles of wife and mother, in accordance with paternal expectations and the social norms of the time.