Rooms of the YÅ«jo.
There is but little difference between the modern apartments (kyo-shitsu) of the yūjo and those of ancient times. The room in which a yūjo receives her guests is called the “zashiki,� and generally contains about eight mats (hachi-j�-jiki), while the adjoining room (tsugi no ma) is a smaller private apartment containing perhaps three or four mats. Some women have a third room placed at their disposal in addition, but this consideration is mostly granted to the “o shoku� exclusively.
A Rainy Day in the Yoshiwara—within and without.
Typical zashiki are cosy rooms fitted with the usual toko-no-ma (alcove) and chigai-dana (a recess with two shelves, one a little lower than the other, and each only reaching about half way across the width of the wall-space involved); in the former hang either picture or specimens of calligraphy (not always genuine!) by such noted artists as Chosanshū, Tesshū, Zeshin, Keishū, and others.[27] The rooms are prettily decorated, and furnished with cut flowers arranged in vases of Kutani porcelain; these flowers are changed according to the season. There will also be found musical instruments such as the koto (harp), samisen (banjo), gekkin (guitar), ni-genkin (a two-stringed musical instrument), etc.; numbers of sundry knicknacks, such as a shelf-ornament in the shape of a rabbit, made of imitation crystal, which is perched on a tiny cushion of daintily dyed crêpe; a hanging clock, a handsome mirror, a framed oil-painting; a small library of novels, magazines, theatrical notices, playbills, and other light reading matter designed to beguile the tedium of guests. On the chigai-dana (recess fitted with shelves by the side of the toko-no-ma) rests a deep lacquered tray (known as a midare-bako, in which are put the guests’ garments) and other objects, while the room invariably contains a clothes-horse (emon-kaké) and a six-fold screen (roku-mai-ori-no-by�bu). In the private apartment is a shelf on which the yūjo’s yagu (bed-clothes) are placed, and this is covered with a bright green furoshiki on which is dyed the ornamental figure of a vine (karakusa) and the name of the girl to whom it belongs. Below this yagu-dana (shelf) is a chest of drawers containing the wardrobe of the yūjo, while the other articles of furniture consist of a naga-hibachi (oblong brazier) on which is placed a kettle (tetsu-bin) a cupboard with a glass door (garasu-do-iri no nedzumi-irazu) within which y�-cha-ki (tea things) and inshoku-no-gu (eating and drinking utensils) are neatly arranged, a mirror-stand (ky�-dai), a cup used for gargling (ugai-jawan) a mimi-darai (a metallic or lacquer tub with a pair of handles or ears used for toilet purposes), cushions (zabuton), and various other paraphernalia of a courtesan’s room. The zashiki (rooms) are rented from the brothel-keeper by the yūjo, and are furnished at their own expense. The above is a description of a first-class house, and in the lower-grade establishments a girl (there called a heya-mochi) only possesses one room, or, at the most two rooms. In the better houses the rooms are known as zashiki (a “parlour�) and in the lower-class houses as merely heya (“room�). In ancient days the shinz� had no rooms of their own, and it was the custom for all of them to sleep in the ane-j�ro’s room. There are also rooms called my�dai-beya (substitute rooms) which may be used by any of the women when they have more than one guest at the same time. In the lowest houses several guests and their girls are packed up together in one room, each couple being only sheltered from the gaze of the others by screens. This is known as wari-doko (割床 = “divided bed.�) When a yūjo has not sufficient means to defray the expenses of furnishing and decorating her room, it is paid for in instalments, but in some cases an intimate guest will assist her by paying these expenses himself. The expenses of repairs to her zashiki and of the daily cleaning are also borne by the girl; the s�ji no chingin (wage for cleaning) is paid direct to the wakai-mono (man-servant) who performs this office. The expenses which yūjo have to bear in this direction are very heavy, and according to the official rules issued by the authorities in the 7th year of Kwansei (1795) the girls were exempted from these burdens; but an ancient custom is not easily broken up, and the evil, being by no means thoroughly eradicated, has survived to these days. Unfortunately, in this profession, a pernicious custom exists of spending money lavishly, and should the yūjo show herself mean or stingy (or even moderately prudent) in her expenditure, this will cause her unpopularity, raise up a host of enemies, and make trouble for her in a hundred different ways; thus old customs cling to the Yoshiwara and defy the many earnest efforts made to root them out. It would appear that at the time when yūjo used to receive guests in age-ya there was no need to pay much attention to beautifying their own rooms, but as a matter of fact they were made very pretty because the ki-jin (貴人 = “nobles� and “honourable persons�) would not enter age-ya and came direct to the brothels. The regular style of futon (mattress) used was a kagami-buton (i.e.—a futon the border of which is made of stuff different to that of the centre, making it look like a mirror in it’s frame). In the best houses the borders were made of black velvet and the panels of red crêpe. Three of such futon (mattresses) were laid one upon the other and the pile formed a nice soft bed, but in the lower houses only two were used and these were made of inferior material such as merensu (mousseline de laine) or kanakin (calico): in the very lowest establishments only one was provided. The night gowns also varied in richness according to the class of the house. By the official rules issued in the 7th year of Kwansei (1795) fabrics mixed with gold or silver threads, silk brocades, or velvets, were forbidden to be used in making futon, and the number used was limited to three: these sumptuary regulations soon became a dead letter and utterly failed to effectively check the luxurious habits of the time. During the Meiwa era (1746–1771) a woman named Hinadzuru, belonging to the Ch�ji-ya, used a pile of five futon made of silk brocade, but this was quite unprecedented. When yūjo used to be called to visit guests in an age-ya their night-clothes were carried with them on each and every occasion: these earlier futon, etc., are supposed to have been greatly inferior to the costly ones that came into fashion at a later period.
Courtesan making her Toilette. Courtesan Composing Letters to their Guests.
Tsumi-yagu no koto.
(The piling up and exhibition of bedding.)
In the “Ume-no-haru� (by Kiyomoto) are the words:—
A pile of as many as twenty of the rich floral brocade futon and bedding which share the couch of Benten San.[28]
Arranging “Tsumi-yagu� (Exhibition of Bed-clothes) in the Ki�wa period (1801 to 1803).
(After the Picture by Kitagawa Utamaro.)
This passage refers to a custom known as “tsumi-yagu� which forms one of the leading features of the gay quarter: there are several songs and stanzas of poetry extant in which the splendid spectacle of a pile of magnificent brocade night-clothes and bedding is rapturously dilated upon in amorous language. Vanity is an inherent attribute of the fair sex, and among the class of women to whom the yūjo belong “the rage for competition, show and style� has no limits, consequently they all vie with each other in the attempt to outshine their sisters in the matter of obtaining, and placing on exhibition, piles of gorgeous bedding. It is a matter of professional pride for the girls to make as lavish a display as possible, and in former days, when the go-sekku were approaching the yūjo would persuade one of her most intimate guests to undertake the financing of this expensive function, and so well did they play their cards that they often succeeded in inducing their infatuated admirers to disburse several hundred dollars to gratify a passing whim. Nowadays, the holidays known as the go-sekku are not strictly observed, therefore exhibitions of tsumi-yagu are made either at the time of cherry-viewing in the spring, the lantern festival in the autumn, during the first week of the New Year (matsu-no-uchi) or at the time of the tori-no-machi (see description under that [heading]) when the Yoshiwara is most frequented by crowds of sight-seers. Generally speaking, this display of bedding is confined to the �-mise (best houses) or chū-mise (medium houses), but occasionally the women in smaller houses endeavour to proclaim, by means of tsumi-yagu, that all the world does not belong to their prouder sisters in the better-class establishments. As I have previously mentioned, in ancient times gold and embroideries were used in making up this exhibition of bedding, but now damask and crêpe are mostly employed. The present cost (in 1899) of a set of tsumi-yagu is from 100 to 200 yen: by using yūzen crêpe the price may be kept as low as 100 yen, but damask will amount to 200 yen, and if a person is extravagantly inclined there are no limits to the cost. As the tsumi-yagu set would be charged at an exorbitant figure if purchased from an ordinary gofuku-ten (drapery store) they are usually ordered from one of the regular contractors in the Yoshiwara. There is generally a tremendous amount of bargaining done before the price of the tsumi-yagu is finally settled, and it is said that when the negotiations are made by the brothel-keeper, that astute gentleman invariably dovetails into the figure charged a commission of about 20% (twenty per cent.) as an honorarium presented to himself for “valuable services� rendered. A set of tsumi-yagu consists of three futon and a large coverlet or quilt: if it be summer a mosquito net is added, and if it be winter a lighter coverlet. As a rule the colours chosen are very loud indeed: the older women prefer pale-blue for the lining, but the younger girls usually have the coverlets lined with red. The futon are made like a mirror in a frame, the centre panels being of the same colour as the linings of the coverlets: the collars of the latter are made of velvet. On the coverlet is worked in gold thread the crest of the guest who has presented the set as well that of the yūjo who has received it. A small (light) coverlet (ko-yagu) is generally wadded with the best wata (cotton wool), but in large coverlets (�-yagu) and futon an inferior quality of wadding is used. When the set is quite completed, it is placed on a stand and exhibited just inside the entrance of the brothel, facing the door-way, so that everybody who passes is bound to see the show: and in order to further attract attention, the tsumi-yagu is labelled with a paper on which is written in bold letters the name of the lucky yūjo who owns it. On the day of this ceremony it is usual for the guest concerned to give a “s�-bana� (a present made to all the inmates of a house) of 5 yen, and a further sum of 5 yen as “soba-dai� (cost of buckwheat macaroni) to be partaken of by all the yūjo in the establishment. As it is not considered to be conducive to the good reputation of a woman to continue this exhibition of tsumi-yagu for too great a length of time, there arises the necessity for another ceremony called “shiki-zome� (commencing the use of the yagu). On this occasion the lady in question plays the part of hostess, and she is bound by custom to entertain the guest who has presented her with the set by giving him a feast and engaging at least a couple of geisha to enliven the proceedings. When a guest undertakes to provide a set of tsumi-yagu for his innamorata he must be prepared to spend on tips, and for various sundries, at least 50 yen over and above the cost of the bedding, and if he makes a hikite-jaya a party to the arrangement this will cost him another 10% (per cent.) commission. An exhibition of tsumi-yagu being considered something to be proud of, women who have no guests rich enough to render them the necessary pecuniary assistance occasionally go so far as to even borrow funds from the brothel-keepers and order a set of bedding for themselves, thus securing a fine advertisement and enhancing their reputation. It however sometimes happens that the girls find themselves unable to refund money thus borrowed, and are therefore compelled to dispose of the bedding they once so earnestly coveted: these circumstances have tended to place a number of second-hand sets of tsumi-yagu on the market, and it is a said that certain women who are vain enough to love empty show, but too poor to afford it, borrow these relics of extravagance on hire and exhibit them to the public gaze! But here let us be merciful and draw a veil over the doings of these unfortunate women, for it would be boorish and unmanly to further expose the weakness of frail humanity. [As to the origin of this custom, it appears that a k�shi-j�ro of the Miura-ya (kept by Magosabur�) named Utanami, first introduced it in the era of Kwamp� (1741–1743)].
“S�bana.�
(All round “tips.�)
A “s�bana� is a tip by a guest to all the servants of a brothel, and is shared in by the yarite, shinz�, men-servants, and bath-room attendants. It is usually given on a mombi (crest day: New year’s day, the go-sekku tori-no-machi festival, etc.) and varies in amount according to the class of house: the sums given are regularly classified and divided into amounts of 2-1�2, 3, 4, and 5 Yen, etc., as the case may be. When s�bana is given, the names of the donor and his lady friend are posted in a prominent place in the house: the larger the number of such posters, the greater is the honour to the woman in question. This custom appears to have been in vogue since ancient times, for the amounts fixed during the Kwansei era (1789–1800) were 3 ry� for a first-class house, 2 ry� for a second-class house, 1 ry� 2 bu for a third-class house, 2 bu for a lower grade establishment. When a s�bana is given, all the servants of the house come up to the room and kneeling down outside thank the guest for his present and clap their hands in unison.
“Shokwai� AND “Mi-tate�
(First meeting) AND (Selection of women.)
Introduction of Courtesans to Guests.
The “Zensei Kuruwa Kagami� (全盛廓鑑) says that in the dusk of the evening, when all is chilly and lonesome, the deep-toned curfew bell of Iriya sends forth a resonant and withal melancholy clang which depresses the spirits and fills the heart with a vague sense of gloomy sadness. Strange as the coincidence may be, just at the very time the solemn sound of the temple bell is reverberating over hill and dale, the women file into their cages (misé wo haru) in the brothel quarter, the “flowers of the Yoshiwara bud and blossom,� and the whole yūkwaku becomes a scene of vivacious animation. These courtesans (who have practically fallen to the level of being regarded as so much merchandise awaiting buyers) sit for hours exposed to the gaze of the passers-by, decked out in all the splendour of coral and rare tortoise-shell hair-pins stuck around their heads like a saint’s glory, and gorgeous in dresses of silk and gold and silver embroidery, the heavy cost of which weighs them down and forces them still deeper into the “stream of debt.� In days of yore it was customary for the women to enter their misé while the “sugagaki� was being played and bunches of clog-checks (gesoku-fuda = wooden tickets given to guests in exchange for foot-gear left in charge of attendants at the entrance) were being struck noisily against the floor. Among the yūjo the o shoku kabu (or proud leading beauty of the house) with painted face, rouged lips, and penciled eyebrows, sits lazily smoking her long red bamboo pipe, emitting faint blue rings of tobacco smoke from her mouth, pretending not to see the crowds of people swarming in front of the cage and yet—cat-like—furtively watching their every movement. While the other women are engaged in a whispered conversation about the personal appearance of on-lookers, the o shoku feigns to be absorbed in the perusal of a long espistle supposed to have been received from one of her numerous admirers, and every now and again she artfully allows a smile to irradiate her countenance as a token that she is reading a specially interesting sentence. Such a skilful Jezebel is sure to have some rich guests who keep her liberally supplied with funds: as a rule she will have no lover (j�r� 情郎 = a male paramour: sometimes read as “ii hito�) to whom she must give pecuniary assistance, and generally speaking she will avoid koke-kyaku (young and impecunious guests) and san-jaku-obi (low class of loafers) as she would the pest. Rather slender in person, having a good contour of the nose, and possessed of bright eyes, if she cannot be called strictly beautiful she is at least very interesting and attractive. This “Dainty Iniquity� (as Kipling puts it) is always sure to be a perfect actress, and looks irresistibly charming as she talks with her sister yūjo in a whisper or as she gracefully bends her head and covers her face with her sleeves to stifle an apparently spontaneous burst of merry laughter and then quietly flirts with, and encourages, some likely guest who is gazing at her intently through the bars. The above is a rather lengthy description of a yūjo who is expert in the art of twisting men round her little finger and manipulating guests (kyaku wo nekokasu) according to the circumstances of the occasion. Those women who are worried by anxiety about private affairs will be seen to conceal their hands within the folds of their dress, to allow their heads to sink deeply into their eri (collar of a dress) in an irregular manner, to every now and then glance round the cage and up at the ceiling, or to otherwise reveal, by their fidgety and impatient demeanour, that they have something unpleasant on their minds. Those who act unreservedly and chat noisily with the other women are assuredly new to the life, and when they become familiar with guests they are unfeignedly sincere in their regard for those they like. The woman who sits out of the row sideways and listens to the ribald songs of the passers-by shows her fickle and forward disposition by treating all as fish who come to her net: she has sympathy with no man but as a matter of business policy and will bestow equal attention on all comers, no matter whether they be good-looking, bad-looking, or jealous as fiends. Those who are blowing the berry of the winter-cherry (h�zuki), making paper-frogs as a charm to attract the men for whom they are waiting, practising “tatami-zan� (divination by mat-straws) and playing other innocent little games, are generally new arrivals in the house who are willing to please their guests in every possible manner.
Courtesans making their toilettes.
When a guest wishes to be accommodated with a “temporary wife,� and enters the house to which she belongs, he is led by a wakai-mono to the hiki-tsuke-zashiki (introduction chamber). If he glances round the room he will perhaps find the alcove decorated with a large kakemono (hanging-picture) representing the rising sun and a stork, the ceiling painted with an enormous phœnix, and everything so spick and span that he will wonder whether he is in fairyland. Candles are now lighted, and a black-lacquered tobacco-box brought in. Next a set of three saké-cups are produced with which to perform (though nominally) the necessary nuptial ceremony called the “san-san-ku-do� in imitation of the custom observed at a real wedding. The girl then appears accompanied by her shinz� who plays the part of a go-between (nak�do-yaku) for the couple by uttering the conventional phrases of “anata� and “konata� and the unholy “marriage� ceremony is finished. After this the yūjo retires to change her clothes, (o meshi-kae) and at the same time the guest is conducted to her apartments where the table is laid ready and a charcoal fire is glowing in an enormous brazier. This bright red, and almost incandescent charcoal fire, always reminds one of the ardent passion of the poor devil of a guest in the next room, who alone and waiting for his partner glows with all the rage of jealousy and intense longing! Food is served in dishes of enormous size, but the net contents of these platters are microscopic, so the “feast� amounts to little more than a mere show and is just sufficiently imposing to warrant being handsomely charged for in the bill under the title of “On ry�ri� (the august repast). The chopsticks used are new for the occasion and are regular wari-bashi (a stick made of sugi wood with a split at one end, used as chopsticks by splitting it in two) but, alas! they too are soon prostituted to base uses, being used as snuffers to cut candle wicks, and even as tongs for the hibachi of a tenantless room![29]
It is curious to note that when tea-house people offer a saké-cup to the yūjo they invariably sit obliquely, partially turning their backs to the guest and never facing him directly. Perhaps this custom unintentionally betrays their secret intention of sitting on the visitor, squeezing him for all he is worth, and then kicking him out! The yūjo herself at the first meeting with a new guest is apt to look askant at the latter and “draw� him by occasionally gossiping about her “sisters-in-vice.� Every now and again one may faintly hear the sound of a pipe being sharply struck against a bamboo spittoon in a neighbouring room: this is probably a signal that your neighbour is lonely and weary of waiting for his sleeping-companion, and you may make up your mind that he is craning his neck forward and straining his ears to catch the sound of her returning footsteps. It is said that a warrior awakens at the jingling of a horse’s bridle-bit, but, under the above circumstances, the sound of a woman’s sandaled feet shuffling down the passage appeals to the drowsy watcher with ten times as much force and braces him up like a powerful tonic. In Japan, however, men do not like to show themselves too “soft,� and when the woman finally slides back the sh�ji (paper shutter) of the room her guest is almost sure to sham being fast asleep: this is called “tanuki-neiri� (badger-sleep). As the hour advances, the crowds of loafers (known as “hiyakashi�) in the Yoshiwara gradually disperse and nothing, except the cries of peripatetic macaroni sellers (“nabeyaki udon�) and blind shampooers (“amma-hari�) and the dismal howling of impish mongrels disturb the stillness of the night; but even when comparative quietness has been restored, the guest’s sleep has been so thoroughly broken that he remains tossing uneasily on his pillow longing for daylight. After a few hours of fitful slumber, which leave the wretched fellow even more fatigued than before, the eastern sky begins to glow with a faint rosy light, and with the dawn of day the great black crows in the neighbourhood awake and fly circling around, cawing loudly as if in mockery and derision. Jaded and exhausted by excess, and played out by reason of his night’s debauch, the poor guest crawls wearily out of bed, feeling as limp as a dish-clout, and as a preparation for his return home proceeds to drag himself to the wash-stand and make his toilet. Oh,! what a face he sees reflected in the water—a drawn, distorted, and haggard face, with pale bloodless lips and sunken bloodshot eyes! And oh! the nausea resulting from undigested food and adulterated saké, the agony of “hot coppers,� the racking headache, and the formidable bill—six feet long—which makes one’s hair rise on end! Then the woebegone victim of his own asinine stupidity settles his bill and sneaks away from the presence of the yūjo, who comes to bid him farewell with the words—“o chikai uchi ...� (please come again very soon), climbs heavily into a jinrikisha and is whirled away to his own residence, thoroughly agreeing in spirit with the words of the Vulgate:—“vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.�
Interior of a Brothel.
| 1. | Nightwatchman (interior) on his rounds. |
| 2. | Time-keeper’s office. |
| 3. | Yūjo arranging various matters with the “yarite.� |
“I-tsudzuke no koto.�
(Spending several consecutive days in a brothel.)
The “Zensei-Kuruwa-Kagami� (全盛廓鑑) says:—“The act of remaining in a brothel for several days, owing to stress of weather or other cause, is known as i-tsu-dzuke.�
“O cha wo hiku� to iū koto.
(“Tea powdering.�)
It is remarked in the “D�b� Go-yen� (洞房語園) that the term o-cha wo hiku, as applied to women of ill-fame who have no guests, is of ancient origin and should be considered as one of the peculiar idiomatic expressions of the Yoshiwara dialect: everywhere in prostitute quarters some special dialect is exclusively used, and this is more especially true of the Yoshiwara of T�ky�. In the era of Keich� (1596–1614) the servants of the various tea-houses at Uji (near Ky�to) were practically unlicensed courtesans, and were in the habit of carrying on illicit intercourse with guests who patronized their establishments. These women employed their leisure time in pulverizing tea (o-cha wo hiku) for the tea-drinking ceremony, and in course of time this expression “o-cha wo hiku� came to be applied (as a slang phrase) to a courtesan who had no guests in consequence of her unpopularity. By and bye this phrase was brought up to T�ky� by natives of Uji and Ky�to and became one of the idiomatic expressions of the Yoshiwara. It is now used throughout the entire Empire.
居瀆之㘴舖
Guest Detained by “Love and Stress of Weather.� Ki�wa period (1801 to 1803).
(After the Picture by Kitagawa Utamaro.)
Shiki-zome no soba-burumai no koto.
(Presentation of buck-wheat macaroni to celebrate the first use of night-clothes.)
It appears to be a universal rule to present soba to all the inmates of the house whenever a yūjo uses her newly-made night-clothes for the first time. This custom is binding on all classes of women from the proud oiran down to the nagaya-j�ro, but, practically, the lower class women are debarred from making an exhibition of night-clothes (either on their own account or by the assistance of guests) by reason of the expense involved: it may therefore be said that this ceremony is performed by women belonging to first (�-misé) and second-class (chū-misé) houses exclusively. Originally this ceremony was only performed when the tsumi-yagu was used for the first time, but later it became a rule that when any new night-clothes began to be used—generally on New Year’s day—buckwheat macaroni was to be presented to the inmates of her house by the yūjo to whom they belonged. This custom, which still survives, is called “shiki-zome no soba-burumai.� In the houses of ordinary people the spreading out of bedding and night-clothes in the day time is greatly disliked as unlucky, therefore, when a sick person recovers, the occasion is one of rejoicing and congratulation and is called toko-agé (removal of bed-clothes). In brothels, however, just the reverse idea obtains, the keepers rejoice to see the night-clothes used even in the day-time, their fervent wish being to have the bedding employed as much as possible because it bears an important relation to the prosperity of their “trade.�
In different brothels different devices are adopted for the purpose of determining who shall be considered the “leading lady� of the house (o shoku). Some take the number of guests as a standard, others the number of najimi-kyaku (that is “regular guests�) while others adopt the rather disgusting method of fixing the order of precedence according to the total amount of money spent by the guests of the respective women. In first-class establishments no such methods as the above are employed, and the rank of the women is determined by the number and value of their own night-clothes and those given by them to the servants of their own and other houses. The idea may be attributed to the great esteem in which night-clothes are held by both men and women in the Yoshiwara.
| Courtesans on their “Rounds� visiting Various Guests at Night. | Courtesan entering a Guest’s Room. |
“Shashin-mitate-ch�.�
(Photograph albums for facilitating the selection of women.)
In lower-class houses the women are exhibited after nightfall, when the lamps are lighted, in the long narrow cages of the brothels, where they sit with powdered faces and rouged lips looking for all the world like so many motionless wax figures, and are, to all intents and purposes, set out for sale like ordinary articles of merchandise. Under these conditions, a would-be guest has the opportunity of making his selection very easily, for he has only to indicate the woman he fancies to obtain her company immediately. In the first and second-class houses, however, there is no such thing as a hari-misé (a “dressed shop-front�) and persons who intend to visit them must be introduced by a hikite jaya: the selection of the particular girl to be engaged is usually left to the discretion of the mistress of the tea-house, who of course does her best to please her patrons by choosing for them women likely to prove satisfactory.
Until about 1882 (15th or 16th year of Meiji) the photographs of all the inmates of houses were displayed in frames in front of the respective brothels, but now this plan has been abandoned, and albums containing portraits of the women belonging to first and second-class houses are provided in the hikite-jaya for the convenience of guests. These books are called “Shashin Mitate-ch�� (albums of photographs to facilitate the selection of women), and it is believed that the following specimens of prefaces will be interesting:—
Photograph-album of the O-hiko-r�:—
“The old saying ‘if you wish to see flowers go to Yoshino’ seems somewhat stupid considering that one can find any flower which he desires to see if he goes to the Yoshiwara. Nowadays, however, customs of ancient times are changing, and the flowers no longer parade the Naka-no-ch�. The flowers which are shown to the public are limited to those which blossom on the small fences, while the oiran (who may be likened to the queen of all flowers) are concealed from the public view in the privacy of their own chambers, and may be compared to beautiful blossoms hidden from sight by a dense mist. However, the practice of promenading in the Naka-no-ch� is too old a custom to be revived in these times, and so we have hit upon the plan of grouping a bevy of belles into the space of a small photograph-album, and leave our honourable guests to select the flowers their fancy may dictate, etc., etc.�
“This preface winds up with a poetical appeal—quite untranslatable owing to puns on words—that the patronage of guests “may not be as short as the dream of a spring night,� but as steady and constant as the bedding used in this house is thick and beautiful. [In Japanese the word “thick�—atsui—has a double meaning: it means “thick� as an antonym of “thin,� and also “plentiful, liberal, and bountiful.� It also has the sense of “excessively friendly� or “intimate,� and is sometimes used to express the idea of “in love with.�]
Photograph-album of the Kado-ebi-r�:—
“The Chinese character k�zen (紅髯 = red beard) may be also read k�zen (浩然 = resolute: firm) on account of the similarity of sound, and the characters kair� (海考 = a shrimp. These characters also sound as “ebi�) which is part of the name of this house and resemble in pronunciation the letter kair� (�� = becoming old together and being buried in the same spot undivided even by death.) In the letters in use from times immemorial are ideas not fully expressed. Individual selection may be left to individual taste.�
Guests making their toilettes preparatory to leaving the house.
Sh�gi no nedan ai-jirushi.
(The signs and cyphers showing the fees of courtesans.)
According to the “Kyokutei-Zakki� (曲享雜記) written by the well-known novelist Bakin, the tayū were all represented by the mark ⧗ in the saiken[30] (guide-books) during the Ky�h� era (1716–1735). * * * * At that time the price was 60 momme (10 Yen). A class of courtesans called ky� no tayū came into existence at the time, but dropped out of fashion without receiving much attention from the public. The various classes of women were represented by the following marks from the era of Ky�h� (1716–1735) to the H�reki era (1751–1763):—
⧗ Tayū: ⌗ K�shi-j�ro:
Ni-nin Kaburo:
Yobi-dashi:
Tsuki-dashi:
Zashiki-mochi:
K�kin:
Bunkin: ◓ Chū-ya: � Ni-shu: ╳ Uchi-komi: Yama-sancha: Umecha: ㊄ Go-sun Tsubone: ⬤ Nami-Tsubone and Ha-age-ya: ⬛ Chaya. By the 6th year of Gembun (1741) the fees of courtesans were stated in Saiken for the first time as follows:—
⧗ Tayū, 80 momme (Yen 13.33) ⌗ K�shi, 60 momme, (10 Yen); ヨ Yobidashi, 45 momme (Yen 7.50); ▲ Sancha (for day and night) 3 Bu (Yen 7.50); ⬤ Bun, 1 Bu (Yen 2.50); ╳ 12 momme (2 Yen); ㊃ Shi-sun: ㊀ Nami-Tsuboné; ∴ six tea-houses attached to the ageya. Since then matters have undergone various changes, but the following are the present (1890) cyphers used in the Saiken-ki:—
| Yen. | Sen. | |||
| (Iriyamagata hitotsu-boshi) | fee is | 1 | .20 | |
| (Iri-yamagata) | “ | .90 | ||
| (Mitsu-yamagata hitotsu-boshi) | “ | .60 | ||
| (Mitsu-yamagata) | “ | .50 | ||
| (Futatsu-yamagata hitotsu-boshi) | “ | .40 | ||
| (Shiro-yamagata) | “ | .35 | ||
| (Yamagata hitotsu-boshi) | “ | .30 | ||
| (Yamagata) | “ | .25 | ||
| (Tsuji) | ╳ | “ | .20 |
San-gy� ch�men no tsuke-kata.
(The system of book-keeping employed by brothels, tea-houses, and courtesans.)
In former days there were no fixed rules as to the system of making entries in books kept by brothels and tea-houses, and, in consequence, considerable inconvenience was experienced by the authorities when they found it necessary to examine the accounts. In February, 1884, the “Controller of the Three Professions� fixed a uniform system of entries to be made in the account-books of brothels and tea-houses, instructing the proprietors of such establishment to adhere to the same in future. The system thus inaugurated in 1884 is still in force, and the following is a description of the ledgers, etc., used.
On the cover of a brothel ledger—right in the very centre—are written the words “Kashizashiki Motoch�,� on the right “Meiji nan nen nan gatsu nan nichi yori, nan nen nan gatsu nan nichi made� (From the _______ day of _______, to the _______ day of _______, 189__); and on the left the name of the house and its proprietor. The book is to consist of upwards of 200 sheets of Nishi-no-uchi or Ōban-shi (paper), and the following particulars are to be printed in it:—
| 1.— | Name of the brothel. |
| 2.— | That the book is to be preserved for at least four years. |
| 3.— | That taxes are to be paid daily in accordance with the regulations. |
| 4.— | That in this book are to be entered in detail the names of every guest, names of the sh�gi engaged, names of geisha called, names of the hikite-jaya concerned, the fees of sh�gi and geisha, amounts spend by guests, advances made, etc. [These items may be expressed by signs (in cypher) but their total must be written in ordinary characters.] |
| 5.— | That in the first page of this book the signs (cyphers) to be used in a brothel in describing various items shall be shown, and that in case of alteration of such cyphers due notice shall be given to the manager’s office. |
| 6.— | That besides this ledger the use of two memorandum books (one for the proprieter of the house and one for the sh�gi herself) shall be allowed, but that such memorandum books shall be stamped with the stamp of the manager and be kept at least for one year. |
| 7.— | That the payment of taxes shall be made in accordance with this ledger, and that daily accounts shall be made up in the following form. (The monthly accounts shall be made up in the same manner.) |
(See over.)
(ACCOUNT FORM.)
| Number of guests | ||
| Number of women engaged | ||
Total gross receipts Yen. | ||
| ITEMIZED ACCOUNT. | Yen. | Sen. |
| Sh�gi age-dai (Courtesan’s fees) | ||
| Sekiry� nan ko (Hire of rooms) | ||
| Shu-k�-han ko-mono-dai (Saké, food and sundries) | ||
| Geigi age-dai (Geisha-fees) | ||
| Shūgi sono hoka tate-kae (Gratuities and advances) | ||
| Total receipts of the brothel | ||
| Taxes due thereon | ||
| Total receipts of the courtesans | ||
| Taxes due thereon | ||
| Total taxes due | ||
| The foregoing rules are issued by the Metropolitan Police Board and areto be strictly complied with. | ||
| (Date) ______ | ||
| Controller of the Shin-Yoshiwara. | ||
| (The number of pages in this book are ______) | ||
The signs used in this book are as follows:—
â—¯ Fee of courtesan ____ sen
⬤ Ditto.
� Ditto.
â–‰ Ditto.
△ Geisha’s fee ____ sen.
Food.
â–¯ Ditto.
Saké, 1 bottle ____ sen.
Saké, 2 bottles ____ sen.
EXAMPLE OF THE USE OF ABOVE CYPHER.
Date _________________
Name of hikite-jaya.
| â—¯ | Name of | guest. | |
| “ “ | courtesan. | ||
| ◯ |  | “ “ | guest. |
| “ “ | courtesan. | ||
| ◯ |  | “ “ | guest. |
| “ “ | courtesan. | ||
 . | Total _________________ | ||
The above example shows that a party of three guests engaged three sh�gi and one geisha, the latter having been employed during the burning of four joss-sticks (senk�). It also shows that they were supposed to have ordered three sets of �-dai (large dishes) and one set of nami-dai (small-dishes) and consumed four bottles of saké. It is superfluous to give an example of the system of book-keeping employed in hikite-jaya because it is practically the same.
There is another small book (te-bikae) kept by each sh�gi which is commonly known as the “gyoku-ch�� and in which the number of her engagements is noted. As to the mode of entering up this gyoku-ch�, there appears to be no fixed rule, but according to the regulations each sh�gi must make up an account of her earnings every ten days and get the entry certified by the stamp of the brothel-keeper. This book must be kept as long as she remains in the business.
Mr. Norman, in his “The Real Japan,� observes with regard to the book-keeping methods of the Yoshiwara:—“It goes without saying that no Solomon could devise theoretical safeguards which would practically protect a girl under such circumstances from unscrupulous greed. For instance, every person in Japan has a private seal corresponding to a signature with us, with which all documents, even down to private letters, are attested, and to counterfeit or reproduce such a seal is forgery. Now the keeper of every kashi-zashihi is compelled by law to keep a big ledger in which all money transactions between himself and the sh�gi are entered, and the sh�gi is compelled to keep a similar smaller book in which the keeper makes identical entries, each of which must be attested by her private seal. This book is regularly inspected by the police with a view to prevent extortion, and it is expressly forbidden by law for the keeper to take away the girl’s seal. On one occasion I visited the largest and best kashi-zashiki in the Yoshiwara in company with my official interpreter. The keeper was a sharp-looking woman of fifty, who had 45 sh�gi in her house, which she had just built at a cost of 45,000 dollars. We were taking tea ceremoniously in her private apartments, and after a while I inquired if I might put a special question to her. “Certainly,� she replied. “Any question?� “Certainly.� “Then,� I said to the old lady through my official interpreter, “will you be so kind as to show me some of the seals belonging to your ladies, that you have at this moment in your possession.� She winced visibly and turned several colours, but after a minute got up without a word, trotted off and returned immediately with the private seal of a certain Miss Man, and I took an impression of it in my note-book, to her evident great alarm. This meant, of course, that she was in the habit of entering the accounts in all the books, attesting them herself with the seals of all her yūjo, and thus the police would be shown an immaculate record, while the sh�gi themselves would never even see the books, or know with how much they were debited and credited from week to week.�
By the way, a hypothetical specimen of the entries made in a book kept by courtesans is given in the “Share-bon� (洒�本) written by Jippensha Ikku—the ancient Mark Twain of Japan.
HOW A VISITOR’S BOOK SHOULD BE KEPT.
| 1st | • | (first) | Dearly beloved one. Oh! how I love you! come—do come! Hamanoya. |
| 2nd | ◦• | Vexing and horribly irritating. Kichisama. | |
| 3rd | • | As he does not know my real mind it is very irritating. Ryūsama. | |
| 4th | • | (second) | Oh! you sickeningly ugly brute! Your face is like that of Heisaku the Octapus! Sumiya. |
| 5th | • | (first) | The fellow looks just like Hachibei of Tamachi. (i.e. “an ass.�) Iseya |
| 6th | ◦• | (first) | I love you! Come quickly! Sumiya. |
| 7th | • | (first) | Yes you are handsome: if you want to come then come. Minatoya. |
| 8th | ◦• | Ah! what joy and gladness! Minatoya (and) Yasu Sama. |
YÅ«jo no hiki-fuda.
(Brothel advertisements.)
Up to the 20th year of Meiji, both brothels and hikite-jaya were in the habit of freely distributing hand-bills for the purpose of attracting guests, but since then all classes of advertisements, having for their object the enticing of visitors to prostitute quarters, have been strictly prohibited by the authorities. Under these circumstances, it may prove interesting to reproduce some specimens of the old hand-bills issued by enterprising brothel-keepers in past times, and accordingly they are printed below.
[Note.—The first of these two hand-bills is dated the 5th month of the 1st year of Kayei (1818), the second the 5th month of the 1st year of Ansei (May 1854) and the third the 8th year of Meiji (1875). The last-named, unlike the others, was neither “antique� nor “refined� and was printed on foreign paper with regular foreign-style type, showing that the resources of civilization are pressed into every kind of service in this go-ahead country!]
Specimen No. 1.
- �: (Manji)
- 引手��: (No introducer required.)
- �金: (Terms “spot cash.�)
- �女大安賣: (Filles de joie for sale at very cheap prices.)
It affords me much pleasure to know that my patrons are all doing well. By reason of your kind patronage and favour, for which I am extremely grateful, I have been enabled to continue the business of brothel-keeping for many years, but regret to observe that there are signs that the prosperity of the Yoshiwara is on the wane. The cause of this state of affairs may be attributed to the fact that evil practices have arisen in the houses of some of my confrères, who are carrying on their profession according to the dictates of their own fancies and entirely disregarding the regulations promulgated in the era of Kwansei (1789–1800). For instance, a custom has arisen of paying to hikite-jaya as much as 300 to 350 mon (about 30 to 35 sen) commission for each 2 shu (yen 1.25) spent by a guest, or even of equally dividing between tea-house and brothel the amount of money spent by him, the consequence being that more than three hundred hikite-jaya have sprung into existence within the past few years. Under these circumstances, it follows as an inevitable consequence that the food and drink served to guests is allowed to deteriorate in quality, thus causing a general depression in our “trade.� I have therefore hit upon a different plan of carrying on the profession, and decided not to receive any guests sent from tea-houses in future, but to conduct my business on cheap and expeditious lines at the “spot cash� prices mentioned below. Moreover I have engaged a large number of “filles de joie� who are guaranteed to afford satisfaction to guests in every respect, and I propose to pay scrupulous attention to the quality of saké, food, and bedding. I shall be greatly obliged if you will kindly inform your friends of these improvements introduced by me, and earnestly beg that you will favour me with a visit, either in the daytime or night-time, coming direct to my establishment without making your arrangement through a tea-house.
| (Hitherto.) | (Reduced price.) | ||
| 1. | Women possessing zashiki | 1 Bu (Yen 2.50) | 12 Momme (silver)  (Yen 2.00) |
| 2. | Women possessing heya | 2 Shu (Yen 1.25) |  6 Momme ( “ )  (Yen 1.00) |
| 3. | Private geisha | 2 Shu (Yen 1.25) |  6 Momme ( “ )  (Yen 1.00) |
N.B.—We supply the “Masamuné� brand of saké, and our cuisine is fully equal to that of the leading restaurants.
Tips and gratuities to “lady friends� and geisha may be given according to the discretion of guests.
Positively no guest sent through a tea-house will be received or entertained.
(Date)
(Signed) MANJI-YA MOKICHI,
Sumi-ch�,
Shin Yoshiwara.
Should any woman be found unsatisfactory another may be substituted.
Specimen No. 2.
Verbal Message.
I am exceedingly glad to know that my patrons are all in good health. I am also thankful that, owing to the long period of continued tranquillity and peace we are enjoying, I have been enabled to pursue my occupation undisturbed for many years. Wishing to introduce some novelty for the amusement of my guests, I have devised a new style of dance which is performed by my yūjo to the accompaniment of popular songs. This dance is something like that anciently performed by shira-by�shi (a kind of singing girl of the Hetaira type) and I am confident that it will prove a source of pleasure to my august patrons. Persons coming to my establishment, either through the medium of tea-houses or direct, will be treated with all possible courtesy and attention, and as regards the question of expenses the aim of my house will be to make my prices as moderate as may be compatible with doing everything conducive to the entertainment of guests. I hope that this new departure may be made known to the public at large; the members of which are respectfully solicited to visit my house in an unceasing stream (in numbers).
| Hire of yūjo, and cost of saké, soup, on-suzuributa (a tray of cooked foods), on-hachizakana (fish served in dishes), and mitsu-mono (a set of three procelain vessels containing food). | 3 Bu. (Yen 7.50) |
| Hire of yūjo and cost of saké, soup, a tray of cooked food, and mitsumono. | 2 Bu. (Yen 5.00) |
| Hire of yūjo and cost of saké, soup, kuchi-tori (a side dish), and mitsumono. | 1 Bu 2 Shu. (Yen 3.75) |
| Hire of yūjo and cost of saké, soup, side-dish, and futatsu-mono. | 1 Bu. (Yen 2.50) |
| Hire of yūjo and cost of soup, and futatsu-mono. | 2 Shu. (Yen 1.25) |
| Per geisha and cost of one dish of food. | 2 Shu. (Yen 1.25) |
N.B.—For those who do not like saké, tea and kuchi-tori (a side dish of sweet food) will be served.
In force from the 10th day of the 5th month (cycle of the Tiger).
Daikoku-ya. Bunshir�.
Yedo-ch� It-ch�-me,
Shin Yoshiwara.
Specimen No. 3.
Notice.
At the time of the establishment of the Sangy�-kwaisha (office of the “three professions�) I was obliged, by reason of unavoidable circumstances, to transact the business of the office, and in consequence trouble arose between the brothel-keepers and owners of tea-houses. For a time it appeared as if the trouble had blown over, but apparently such is not the case, as I now learn that the tea-houses have combined and agreed not to send a single guest to my house. Far from being affected by their compact, my business is as brisk as ever, because, I depend on my patrons themselves and not on the tea-houses. Nor is this all, for when the three and twenty fair ladies (oiran) who belong to my house heard about the selfish decision of the tea-house keepers, they justly gave vent to their indignation at this attempt to interfere with their profession. They proposed that in future they and I should combine to increase the popularity of our house, and with this end in view I have been urged by the oiran to do all in my power to ensure the satisfaction of guests, while they on their part have promised to cooperate with me in order to convince the tea-house folk of the fact that the Yoshiwara would prosper without any hikite-jaya at all. What is meant by the resolution of the fair damsels it is for visitors to my house to explain. Accordingly I have decided on the following plan of action:—Firstly, to endeavour to curtail the expenses of guests to the lowest possible figure, and secondly, to see that every care is taken to ensure their pleasant entertainment. As to the females in waiting, their number will be further increased, and they will appear clad like the graceful nakai (waitresses) of Ky�to and Ōsaka. Care will also be exercised in the cuisine of my house, and certain dishes will be served without extra charge. These alterations will take effect on and after September 1st next, and it will then remain with you to test the truth of this announcement. I trust that these facts will become known far and wide, and hope to be favoured with your continued visits and patronage.
September, 1875.
Kimpei Daikoku.
(Kashi-zashiki keeper)
Yedo-ch� It-ch�-me,
Shin-Yoshiwara.
Ageya no sashi-gami.
(Summons to the “Ageya.�)
In ancient times a guest was unable to visit a brothel direct, but had to negotiate for the services of courtesans through the “Age-ya.� The “Age-ya� then issued a written request or “summons� (sashi-gami) to the brothel, nominating the woman desired. The bearer of these sashi-gami accompanied the courtesans both going and coming between brothels and “Age-ya,� and as soon as guests had finished their “spree� and left, the yūjo were sent back to their respective houses. In the “Kwagai Manroku� (花街漫錄) a specimen copy of the summons is given: the size is about 11″ x 5″ (actually 9 sun 6 bu x 4 sun 3 bu) and wording as follows:—
Specimen of “Sashigami.�
To Sh�zabur� Esq.
As we have a guest to-day, we desire to engage the services of a courtesan belonging to your house named Tsumasaki during the day-time. I guarantee that my guest is not one of those persons who are “wanted� by the authorities, but a respectable party, and should anyone be found to allege anything to the contrary I am prepared to offer an explanation of the matter at any time or place. The above is written for future reference.
5th day of the 5th month.
| (Signed.) | Kyūyemon. (Proprietor.) | |
| (Countersigned.) | Ch�bei. (Monthly Manager.) |
The above was issued in the “year of the dog�—the second year of Tenna (1682)—and at that time Sh�zaemon was the keeper of the “Kadomanji-ya� in Sumi-ch�. Again, in the same book, (Kwagai Manroku) are given the following rules, relating to age-ya, which were in force in the Tenna era:—
- 1.—Yūjo shall not be detained after the departure of a guest.
- 2.—A man-servant shall be provided by the ageya for the purpose of escorting yūjo to and from the tea-house: such servant to be barefooted (su-ashi.)
- 3.—Should a courtesan be unwilling to attend any particular guest, the yarite (female manager of a brothel) shall endeavour to prevail upon her to reconsider her decision, and, if the negotiation be successful, a summons shall be sent to her and the fee paid at the time of settling accounts. [In practice, the yarite had the option of deciding whether or not the guest should be accepted.]
- 4.—When a yūjo who had a previous engagement has been induced to attend to a later guest, the latter shall pay shurai-gin (an extra fee) to the tea-house which first engaged her. In case, however, of a substitute yūjo being chosen, no shurai-gin shall be paid, and if the original guest who had made special arrangements beforehand fails to appear, no room-rent (zashiki-dai) shall be charged.
Thus, when one wished to engage a courtesan in those times, he had to make a special arrangement in advance, fixing the date so as to avoid inconvenience, this agreement was termed a ken-yaku (兼約 = a previous convenant). The act of inducing a woman to cancel a previous engagement in favour of a later guest was called “morai� (貰� = something received, (a gift)), and when this was insisted upon, the successful bidder had to pay, besides the regular fee, an extra sum as compensation to the age-ya which was party to such previous engagement. This extra fee was the “shurai-gin� referred to in the above rules. The origin of the “age-ya� dates back to the Moto-Yoshiwara, and by the eras of Tenna (1681–1683) and Teiky� (1684–1687) these establishments had reached the zenith of their popularity. Since the sancha-j�ro appeared, the age-ya gradually declined until the 10th year of H�reki, when they completely disappeared, leaving hikita-jaya in their place.