It consists of various types of writing: 'chapters of Ruiju' of 'Monowazukushi (enumerating the things in the same category),' as represented by the lists of things like 'Insects,' 'Flowering trees,' 'Dispiriting things,' 'Endearingly lovely things,' and 'Chapters of Zuiso (essay),' which is an observation of daily life and nature in the seasons, and 'chapters of reminiscence (chapters of a diary)' in which the author wrote about the life around Empress Teishi, whom she served in the Imperial Court.
「虫は」「木の花は」「すさまじきもの」「うつくしきもの」に代表される「ものはづくし」の「類聚章段」をはじめ、日常生活や四季の自然を観察した「随想章段」、作者が出仕した定子皇后周辺の宮廷社会を振り返った「回想章段」（日記章段）など多彩な文章から成る。