In the “Yedo Sunagoâ€� (æ±Ÿæˆ¸ç ‚å�) we find this passage:—
“The Kujaku-nagaya (a nagaya is a long building in which are several separate residences. The old nagaya were used as a species of barracks for the retainers of the feudal lords. Kujaku = peacock) are situated at the rear of the street at the end of the paddy-fields, and are so called because from this place the brilliant spectacle of the lighted Yoshiwara can be seen to great advantage. The spot has therefore been compared to the body of a peacock, and the dazzling splendour of the Yoshiwara to the magnificent tail of that vain bird.
“In the “Bokusui Sh�karoku� (墨水消�錄) it is written:—“A row of houses on the eminence along that part of the Nihon-dzutsumi which leads to Tamachi, is called the “Peacock nagaya.� The origin of this picturesque name is that about the era of Kwanbun (1661–1672) there lived in the extremity of the nagaya a lovely girl whose wonderous beauty was noised about the neighbourhood, and, owing to the dingy block of houses having such an enchanting damsel residing in the end building, some admirers of the fair nymph, by a quaint conceit, compared the block of houses to the body and the dainty maiden to the gorgeous tail of a peacock.�
The “Kembansho.�
(Office which manages the affairs of geisha and other professionals.)
“The “Yedo-Kwagai Enkaku-shi� (江戶花街沿�誌) says:—“In the 7th year of Anyei (1778) there were about 100 professional artists in the Yoshiwara including 20 otoko-geisha (male geisha) 50 female geisha, and 16 young dancing girls (geiko).�
These people had to obtain licenses from the headmen of their respective districts, but as no fixed taxes were imposed upon them, all their earnings, including tips (shūgi) and fees (gyokudai), went into their pockets intact. Under these circumstances, many persons began to consider the advisability of taxing the geinin (artists and artistes) and appropriating such taxes towards defraying the common public expenses of the Yoshiwara. At this time the morals of the geinin were at a very low ebb, and their conduct so lax that great trouble was experienced in the quarter. Female geisha began to compete with the regular courtesans and openly offered themselves as prostitutes, while the male professionals contracted intimacies with the women in the brothels and carried on liaisons with the latter. All these abuses clearly showed the absolute necessity of putting the geinin under proper control and of framing regulations for putting a check to their unrestrained intrigues, amours, and general gross misconduct. In the 8th year of Anyei (1779) a certain person named Sh�roku (who was the keeper of a brothel known as “Daikoku-ya�) agitated the question, and after consultation with his confrères established a Kemban-sho (registry office for geisha of both sexes). Abandoning his profession of brothel-keeping, Sh�roku became the director (tori-shimari-yaku) of this institution, and under his supervision a system was inaugurated by which all geinin, including men, women, and children, j�ruri-singers, samisen-players, etc., were brought under authoritative control. The business of the Kemban-sho was transacted by two bant� (head-clerks) and some ten assistant clerks (te-dai), the latter acting in the capacity of a modern hako-ya (attendant who carries a geisha’s musical instruments) and attending to female geisha when the latter went out to fill an engagement.
The male geisha, it appears, were all bound to do duty at the Kemban-sho in turn.
Classes of Prostitutes.
The custom of dividing courtesans into higher and lower classes had already sprung into existence while the Yoshiwara was situated at Yanagi-machi (close by the present Tokiwa-bashi). They were then classified as Tayū and Hashi-j�ro.[22] During the period of the Yoshiwara three classes were added, viz:—K�shi-j�ro, Tsubone-j�ro, and Kirimise-j�ro. After the opening of the new (Shin) Yoshiwara, Hashi-j�ro and Tsubone-j�ro ceased to exist, while at the same period (Genroku = 1688–1703) Sancha-j�ro and Umecha-j�ro came into existence. After the era of Kwansei (1789–1800) the classes in existence were:—Yobi-dashi, Chūsan, Tsuke-mawashi, Zashiki-mochi, Heya-mochi, and Kirimise-j�ro. Particulars of these changes are mentioned in various old books and can also be gathered from the lists of courtesans published in those times. As to the origin of the names Tayū, K�shi, Tsubone, etc., these terms appear to have been derived from a similar classification in vogue in Ky�to, and if my readers are curious to trace these derivations they will do well to refer to a book called the D�b�-Goyen (洞房語園) for further information.
