He wandered around Heiankyo (the ancient capital of Japan in current Kyoto), where serious epidemics were spreading, to meet Izumi Shikibu, and as a result he also acquired a disease and died young at 26 years old.
式部との逢瀬（おうせ）のために、伝染病が猖獗（しょうけつ）していた平安京を夜な夜な彷徨（ほうこう）したため、自身も病を得、26歳という若さで薨去（こうきょ）した。