Characters of the stories of the first part include noteworthy and talented women of the Imperial Court such as Izumi Shikibu, Akazome Emon, ISE no Taifu, and Imperial Princess Senshi, as well as talented men such as KI no Tsurayuki, OSHIKOCHI no Mitsune, and FUJIWARA no Kinto, and many elegant anecdotes based on waka (Japanese poems) are used in the narratives.
世俗説話には、紀貫之・凡河内躬恒・藤原公任などの才子に加え、和泉式部・赤染衛門・伊勢大輔・選子内親王ら王朝を代表する才媛が登場し、和歌を中心とする宮廷社会の風雅な逸事を集める。