Read Ebook: The nightless city; or The history of the Yoshiwara Yūkwaku by De Becker J E Joseph Ernest

Font size: 10 px 15 px 20 px 25 px 30 px 35 px

Background color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Text color: BlackWhiteGrayLight GrayDark GrayDim Gray

Apply/Save settings

Ebook has 662 lines and 124396 words, and 14 pages

The expenses of planting flowers in the streets in Spring, setting up street lanterns in Autumn, and maintaining street dancing are defrayed by the tea-houses.

Name of the Present "Hikite-jaya

The J?-hachi-ken-jaya.

The "Amigasa-jaya."

"These hats are no longer used, but the old name still clings to the tea-houses."

The "Kujaku Nagaya."

The "Kembansho."

Classes of Prostitutes.

These are an exceedingly low class of women and their houses are frequented by the riff-raff and scum of the neighbourhood exclusively.

Kamuro.

Shinz?.

Yarite.

Besides, they charged a commission on the food and other things brought to the guests.

The "Kutsuwa."

Wakaimono.

H?kan and Geisha.

The Europeanization of the Yoshiwara and the Introduction of Loochooan Courtesans.

Zegen.

In the official rules relative to deeds of engagement of courtesans issued in the 7th year of Kwansei --that is four years after the issue of the above notification--occurred the following clauses:--

I guarantee that the girl will not cause you trouble while in your employ.

"Whereas transactions involving the sale of persons and their entire subjection to the will of their masters for life or for a period are contrary to the principles of humanity, and in consequence have been prohibited from olden times; and whereas the actual condition of persons heretofore hired for a term of years as servants, or in any other capacity, virtually amounts to servitude, therefore all such transactions are henceforth strictly prohibited.

"It shall be admissible for any persons to bind themselves as apprentices for the purpose of acquiring practical training in agriculture, trade, or art. Nevertheless the term of such apprenticeship shall in no case exceed seven years, after the expiration of which, such term may be prolonged with the consent of both parties.

"In the case of ordinary servants or employ?s the terms of service shall be limited to one year; and if the service be continued after the expiration of that period the agreements shall be renewed.

"The release of all prostitutes, singing girls, and other persons bound to serve for any term of years, is hereby ordered, and it is further directed that no suits relating to debts incurred by, or on account of such persons, shall be entertained."

NOTIFICATION ISSUED IN OCT., 1872, BY THE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.

No. 22.

"Whereas on the second day of this month the Council of State issued a decree No. 295, persons are hereby notified relative to the same and are to bear in mind the following articles:--

Although the sale of persons has been forbidden from olden days yet persons are hired for periods under various names, but in reality this "hiring" constitutes a "sale" and it is considered that the capital of persons hiring prostitutes, singing girls, &c., is equivalent to stolen money, therefore should any person complain about the foregoing, upon investigation the whole of the money in dispute shall be confiscated by the Government.

As stated above, prostitutes and singing girls having lost the rights of human beings, they may likened to cattle There is no sense for human beings to endeavour to exact repayment from cattle!

Therefore no payment shall be demanded from prostitutes or singing girls for any moneys lent or debts due and in arrear hitherto, but it is provided that as regards transactions subsequent to the 2nd day of the present month, such prohibition ceases.

The Dress of Courtesans.

Coiffures of the Y?jo.

"A certain old gentleman, who was ten years older than my father, traversing an assertion by the latter that the hair of courtesans was hardened by too much oil, said that such was not the case in former years when the girls rubbed a little thin oil on their heads: he also said that the hair remained in its natural state and did not show any greasiness of appearance. The old pictures substantiate this assertion."

Referring to the style of hair dressing, the same authority says:--

Rooms of the Y?jo.

Tsumi-yagu no koto.

"S?bana."

"Shokwai" AND "Mi-tate"

AND

"I-tsudzuke no koto."

"O cha wo hiku" to i? koto.

Shiki-zome no soba-burumai no koto.

"Shashin-mitate-ch?."

"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.

Sh?gi no nedan ai-jirushi.

San-gy? ch?men no tsuke-kata.

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.

Number of guests

The foregoing rules are issued by the Metropolitan Police Board and are to be strictly complied with.

Controller of the Shin-Yoshiwara.

The signs used in this book are as follows:--

Share on: WhatsApp @Hash Facebook Tweet