Types of Modern Courtesans.
The Tayū was a courtesan of the highest class, excelling her unfortunate sisters both in respect to her beauty and accomplishments, and, as previously mentioned, this appellation had come into existence while the kuruwa was yet in Yanagi-ch�. In the 20th year of Kwan-ei (1642) there were 18 tayū, in the era of Manji (1658–1660) 19, and in the 2nd year of Ky�h� (1718) 14, but between the 21st year of Ky�h� (1736) and the 1st year of En-ky� (1744) the number of tayū decreased to 5. In the 4th year of Kwan-en (1751) we only find one tayū in the whole Yoshiwara, and by the end of the H�reki era (1751–1763) the class had entirely disappeared. The age-dai-kin (fee) of a tayū was at first fixed at 37 momme (about Yen 6.14), but by the era of Teiky� (1684–1687) it had been doubled. In the era of Kwamp� it appears to have been 97 momme of silver (about Yen 16.00). At that period the class of courtesans styled Hashi-j�ro was a very low one, and no reliable record is extant from which we can obtain particulars of their fees.
The K�shi-j�ro were similar to those known as Tenjin in Ky�to. These women had their rooms within the �-g�shi (great lattice doors or bars) and the D�b�-Goyen (洞房語園) states that these women had the prefix of K�shi placed before the word j�ro (courtesan) to distinguish them from Tsubone-j�ro. K�shi-j�ro were next in position to the Tayū, and their fee was at first 25 momme (Yen 4.15), but in the era of Kwamp� (1741–1743) it rose to 60 momme of silver (about Yen 10.00). It is mentioned in the Naniwa Seir�shi (浪花�樓誌) published in the 10th year of H�reki (1760) that the term Tenjin was in use not only in Ky�to but in Shim-machi, Ōsaka city. Next to the K�shi-j�ro came the Tsubone-j�ro,[23] and their fee was originally 20 momme silver (about Yen 3.32), but, after the appearance of the Sancha-j�ro, competition reduced it to 15 momme (about Yen 2.49).
An Ancient “Shiraby�shi.�
A “Yobidashi� of the Yoshiwara.
In the front of the houses where Tsubone-j�ro resided, wooden lattice work screens, cut in a “figure of eight� all over pattern, of six feet in height were erected, presenting a most curious spectacle. This class of courtesans were in their turn ousted from popularity by the Umecha-j�ro about the era of Genroku (1688–1703). It is true that after the era of Temmei (1781–1788) a class of prostitutes bearing a similar name came into existence, but these latter-day Tsubone-j�ro were the lowest of low women and are not to be confounded with their predecessors.
Kirimise-j�ro were the predecessors of the present Ko-mise-j�ro (“small-shop-courtesans�) to be found by the creek. These women lived in naga-ya (barrack-like tenement houses) and offered their services for the modest sum of 100 mon (10 sen): in consequence of this latter fact they were described as hyaku-z� (or freely rendered—“100 mon women�).
At the beginning of Kwambun (1661–1672) a still lower class of harlot, called Kendon, arose, and later on another lower grade of strumpets came into existence under the euphonious name of Tepp� (a gun). The Tepp� charged 2 shu (about Yen 1.25) for a day and night, but after 10 o’clock at night even this sum was reduced, on strictly business principles, to 400 mon (40 sen).