Yoshiwara Nana-fushigi.
(The Seven Mysteries of the Yoshiwara.)

Contrary to the “Seven mysteries� of Echigo, Suwa, Honj�, etc., all of which consist of weird ghost stories or really inexplicable mysteries, the “nana-fushigi� of the Yoshiwara are most innocent and amusing in their nature: they are as follows:—

1.⁠—Though the gateway, or great entrance door, is called the ÅŒ-mon (great gate) there is no genkwan (entrance porch) within.
2.⁠—Though the moat around is called a creek (kashi) there are no boats visible.
3.⁠—Though one of the wards is called Sumi-chÅ� (corner “wardâ€� or “streetâ€�) it has no corner.
4.⁠—Though the introducing houses are called “cha-yaâ€� (tea-houses) yet they sell no tea.
5.⁠—Though the servants in the brothels are called “shinzÅ�â€� (young woman) most of them are old women.
6.⁠—Among the wakaimono (literally “young men,â€� but here meaning “men-servantsâ€�) are many bald-headed individuals.
7.⁠—Although the old women in the brothels, are called yarite (é�£ã‚Šæ‰‹ = “giversâ€�) they really give nothing but take all they can get.

Such are the “Seven mysteries� of the Yoshiwara, but the greatest mystery appears to be the fact that they should have been accepted as mysteries at all.

Yoshiwara no Kyo-ka.
(Comic Poetry.)

Among the many witty and epigrammatic stanzas which have been composed by well-known literary men, the following have been selected as interesting and characteristic:—

“The sight of snowy evening at the Ō-mon is so beautiful that no man is fool enough to leave the Yoshiwara satiated.� (Yomo Akara).

“On a calm Spring evening, when the women of the quarter enter their cages, it seems as if flowers were being scattered in the Yoshiwara by the bell announcing night fall. (Yomo Akara).

“Though visitors may change, the mikaeri yanagi (looking-back willow tree) is ever green, and flowers perennially scarlet.� (Kyokutei Bakin).

“Even without asking the question it is known that the miyako-dori (“oyster-catcher�) lives in the Sumida river: the person I long for lives in the Yoshiwara.� (Sant� Ky�zan).