In the Emp� era (1673–1680) there lived, in the vicinity of Nakahashi, Yedo, a man named Bunzaemon. This individual was a person of very humble extraction, but aided by his native shrewdness he managed to amass an enormous fortune in a comparatively short time, and the extravagance of his expenditure furnishes the theme for many a strange story to be found in Japanese novels. The true narrative of Bunzaemon’s life has probably never been written, as every version appears apocryphal and more or less tainted with a strong vein of fiction, but perhaps it will be interesting to peruse the following story which is no doubt as true as any other told about the whimsical parvenu. One year Bunzaemon purchased, at a very insignificant figure, a large quantity of vegetable marrows, fruit of the egg-plant, etc., which had been used as votive offerings at the festival of the dead (sh�-ky�-matsuri) in the seventh month. These various vegetables he pickled in a mixture of salt and rice bran and held in stock until such time as he could dispose of them. In the same year a most destructive fire broke out in the city, and as this caused a considerable rise in the market prices of commodities, Bunzaemon was able to unload his large stock of pickles at an enormous profit. With the money thus realized he immediately started out to Kiso in Shinano Province in order to buy lumber. For the purpose of making the simple country folk think him a rich and generous person he purposely and ostentatiously showed great liberality in giving the children in the neighbourhood gold coins as playthings. This plan succeeded admirably, and before he left the district he found himself the owner of a large tract of valuable forest land on which stood an immense quantity of timber. Later on the timber merchants of Yedo poured into Kiso to replenish their stocks which had been exhausted on account of an extraordinary demand caused by a great fire. To their astonishment and disgust they found that every available forest had already been secured by the astute Bunzaemon, and under these circumstances they were compelled to relinquish their quest and return to Yedo, where they purchased the necessary lumber from him at a considerable advance over cost. Not only did he make an enormous profit over the lumber speculation, but he made a fortune in contracting for the erection of mansions for daimy� who had been burnt out in the fire. Up to this time he had been residing in an obscure corner of the city with his aged mother, but now he blossomed out as a merchant prince and started a large firm at Ko-ami-ch�, employing an army of clerks and servants. The firm-name adopted was “Kinokuni-ya,� and thenceforth the proprietor of the concern was known as “Kinokuni-ya Bunzaemon.� He then purchased a comfortable house for himself and his mother at Isshiki-ch�, Fukagawa. Having once amassed a substantial capital, Bunzaemon’s prosperity increased with the rapidity of the glorious rays of the rising sun. One larger contract after another fell into his hands, and among other orders he secured were those for rebuilding the Gokoku-ji temple (at Ko-ishi-kawa), the family mausoleums of the Tokugawa Shoguns, etc. After the completion of the latter contract Bunzaemon entertained in princely style all the Shogunate officials connected with the work. Excursion boats were engaged, and the officials went out on the Sumida-gawa (river) accompanied by many popular professional entertainers, including Hanabusa Itch�, Nakamura Kichibei, and Shink�. After enjoying their picnic, the party proceeded to the Yoshiwara, each man wearing a reed hat (ami-gasa) in accordance with the prevalent fashion. Bunzaemon was very fond of a style of song called the Handayu-bushi and took lessons in the same from the actor—Yedo Handayu. The latter had a great weakness for gambling and at one time lost everything he had, including his marionettes and their clothes, so he was unable to continue his performances and he got into every low water. Hearing of Handayu’s misfortunes, Bunzaemon gave him two thousand ry� in exchange for a written promise never to indulge himself in gambling again, so the actor was able to redeem his puppets and effects and resume his business. At the beginning of the same year, Bunzaemon, in accordance with his usual practice, visited the Yoshiwara followed by a large number of professional entertainers, and made minute enquiries as to how much it would cost to engage the whole place to the extent of closing the great gate and refusing admittance to outsiders. The reply was that 2,300 ry� (Yen 23,000) would work the oracle, and Bunzaemon immediately concluded the bargain, had the gates closed, and held high revel with the whole population of the quarter at his heels.
In the 11th year of Genroku (1698) he secured the contract to construct the temples at Ueno, and large sums of money flowed into the great merchant’s coffers. On this occasion again Bunzaemon invited the Government officials concerned to go out with him on the river Sumida, and he engaged a number of minor poets and actors to bear them company and enliven the proceedings. The party set out from the Kanda-gawa and landed on the other side of the Sumida-gawa to pay a visit to the Inari Shrine at Mimeguri, the day being enlivened by a display of fire-works, etc. It happened that year that there had been a great drought in the land and not-withstanding the prayers offered for rain not a drop fell. When Bunzaemon and his companions visited the shrine (called “Mimeguri-no-Yashiro�) one of the farmers noticed that Kikaku (a famous poet) was among the company, and addressing the latter begged that he would compose a poem so touching that it would move Heaven to send rain upon the earth and thus gladden the hearts of all living things. The farmer pointed out that there was a precedent for this course as Ono no Komachi (a celebrated poetess in past times) had been successful in persuading the gods to grant a similar boon by means of a poem. Kikaku modestly disclaimed being able to control the elements, but he went into the shrine, prayed, and then wrote down:—
| Yūdachi ya Ta wo mimeguri no Kami naraba. | “Oh send a shower of rain, if thou art indeed the God who supervises the harvest, for thou knowest the sad state of the fields. |
This poem he offered up to the shrine, and tradition states that Heaven was so pleased with the production that rain commenced to fall very shortly afterwards and the whole earth was gladdened by the refreshing showers and cool breezes. Kikaku having performed this pious and laudable act, the whole party went to the Yoshiwara and for the second time the gates of that gay quarter were closed by virtue of Bunzaemon’s money. Once, three rich men from Ōsaka and Ky�to visited Bunzaemon in order to make his acquaintance, and he entertained them most hospitably, offering them every luxury and pleasure that his enormous wealth could command. In the course of conversation one of the visitors expressed his belief that any man could procure the love and favour of a courtesan if he only possessed money: this statement rather offended Bunzaemon but he dissembled his real feelings and later on promised the three visitors to take them to the Yoshiwara on the following evening. Meanwhile, Bunzaemon sent four of his people to Ōtsuya Sanshir� in the Yoshiwara and made arrangements with him to engage every courtesan and tea-house in the place and to buy up everything that a visitor to the quarter would require: in short, the closing of the great gateway (�-mon) was carried out in a more general and thorough way than ever before. The following day the three wealthy men from the West arrived at Imado-bashi in boats, accompanied by Bunzaemon and a gay company, and were received by the tea-house people, geisha, h�kan, etc., all of whom wore clothes given to them by Bunzaemon and bearing his crest. Bunzaemon now led his guests through Naka-no-ch� and the other streets of the Yoshiwara, both sides of which were lined with courtesans, shinz�, kamuro, and other inmates of the quarter who had turned out in large numbers to welcome him. He then entered the “Ōtsu-ya� tea-house and from there proceeded to an age-ya called “Owari-ya� where he held a great banquet. The three rich men from the West now wished to send for courtesans to attend them, but to their great astonishment they were informed that as everything in the Yoshiwara had been bought up by Bunzaemon there were neither any women to be had nor eatables to be procured. The visitors protested most indignantly at this treatment and spoke about their wealth and possessions, but the words fell on deaf ears, and finally the crestfallen trio had to trudge away on foot owing to the fact that Bunzaemon had taken care to engage all the available boats and palanquins beforehand. It appears that these three men were very much incensed in consequence of the trick Bunzaemon had played them, and that they consulted together with a view to “getting even� with him. It seems, however, that they were not successful in hitting upon a suitable plan and that they eventually slunk away home “with their tails between their legs.�
Although Bunzaemon caused the great gateway to be closed on three occasions, this is not all he did. There are many interesting stories told about the extraordinary life which this extraordinary man led and the various pranks he played. For instance it is stated that he would at times fling showers of golden coins about to be scrambled for by the persons present, and there is a curious story told about his extravagance in competing with another rich man, named Naramo, when the two attempted to vie with each other in prodigality and luxury. There is also a tradition which mentions the magnificent banquet given by Bunzaemon in the Naka-no-ch� on the occasion of a snow-viewing party.
THE LAW RELATING TO BROTHELS[59]
Notification No. 40. Issued by the Metropolitan Police Board, T�ky�, 7th July, 1896 (Meiji 29 nen 7 gwatsu 7 ka.)
Notification No. 12 containing regulations relative to the control of brothels (kashi-zashi), introducing tea-houses (hikite-jaya) and courtesans (sh�gi) issued by the Metropolitan Police Board in March 1889 (Meiji 22 nen 3 gwatsu) is hereby amended and revised as follows: The new regulations are also to be enforced in Nishitama-g�ri, Minamitama-g�ri and Kitatama-g�ri, and should the provisions of this notification conflict with those of previous notifications the latter shall become null and void from the day that the present regulations are put into force.
REGULATIONS.
For the Control of Brothels, Introducing Tea-houses, and Courtesans.