In The Tale of Genji, the world's oldest novel, Murasaki Shikibu wrote about the romances of court nobles in early 11th century Kyoto. This much-loved work is still widely read today. In a five-year project, a university team recreated the kimono worn by one of the characters, the lady Akashi no Kimi. A traditional Kyoto dyer reproduced the subtly shaded colors that reflect a distinctive Japanese sense of beauty, using historically accurate natural dyes.