The title was taken from the waka poem which Kaoru and Ben no Ama exchanged: 'Yadorikito omoiidezuwa kinomotono tabinemoikani sabishikaramashi' (If I don't remember that I have once stayed, how sleep in journey would make me feel lonely)' and 'Arehaturu kuchikinomotowo yadorikito omoiokikeru hodonokanashisa' (It is sad to consider dilapidated place under rotten wood as place in which once I stayed).
巻名は、薫と弁の尼が詠み交わした和歌「やどりきと思ひ出でずは木のもとの旅寝もいかにさびしからまし」「荒れ果つる朽木のもとをやどりきと思ひおきけるほどのかなしさ」に因む。