The famous "Genji Monogatari" or "The Tale of Genji", written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu, describes Heian court life in Japan and implies various romantic escapades performed by the main character Genji was born to the Emperor and a lower-ranking lover, Kiritsubo as an infant everyone thought Genji was incredibly handsome and was eventually given the name "shining prince" his extraordinary appearance. Unfortunately, the name “Genji” refers to the fact that he is of royal blood, but he can never become emperor. As the story progresses, readers see that the name “Genji” does not prevent him from conquering women. So why do women love Genji so much? He may be handsome, but he will never become emperor. In this article I will examine and analyze excerpts from "Genji Monogatari", edited and translated by Royall Tyler, in particular those of Genji's relationships. in order to hypothesize what makes Genji the “ideal man” for women in the Heian period. I will also examine the opinions of Heian court men on the topic of the “ideal woman.” Although Genji probably had the ability to get any woman and many women wanted him, he had standards for a serious relationship, so we will discuss these standards as well. At the beginning of the book and Genji's life, he is married to Aoi, the daughter of the Minister of the Left and sister of his best friend, at the young age of 12. In the second chapter Genji is already 17 years old and here he discusses with other men of the court what the "ideal woman" should be like. As the men discuss their past experiences with women and their personal insights, the head squire boldly says, "The truly charming girl is the one no one has ever heard of, the one who strangely appears... in the middle of the card... ... home to meet various women and make his choice among the waste. It might be because it was socially acceptable for men to have multiple women, but it was embarrassing for women to have multiple men so that men could be more demanding. Men wanted an interesting girl who was very ladylike and loyal enough not to complain about her other lovers. Women simply wanted a man who would court her, love her and probably make love to her, based on “Genji Monogatari,” it seemed that the ability to court each other and a certain amount of loyalty were valued for both genders when trying to have a serious relationship with the “ideal” partner. Works Cited"Heian Literature and Related Cultural Forms." Network. 10 June 2011. .Murasaki, Shikibu. The Tale of Genji: Abridged. Ed. Royall Tyler. New York, NY: Penguin, 2006. Print.