The Sexual Life of Japan : Being an Exhaustive Study of the Nightless City Or the "History of the Yoshiwara Yūkwaku"
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Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924012541797 Cornell University Library HQ 247.T6D27 1905 *erng an exhau The sexual life of Japan 3 1924 012 541 797 THE SEXUAL LIFE OF JAPAN THE SEXUAL LIFE OF JAPAN BEING AN EXHAUSTIVE STUDY OF THE NIGHTLESS CITY 1^ ^ m Or the "HISTORY of THE YOSHIWARA YUKWAKU " By J, E. DE BECKER "virtuous men hiive siitd, both in poetry and ulasslo works, that houses of debauch, for women of pleasure and for atreet- walkers, are the worm- eaten spots of cities and towns. But these are necessary evils, and If they be forcibly abolished, men of un- righteous principles will become like ravelled thread." 73rd section of the " Legacy of Ityasu," (the first 'I'okugawa ShOgun) DSitl) Niimrraiia SUuatratiuna Privately Printed . Contents PAGE History of the Yosliiwara Yukwaku 1 Nilion-dzutsumi ( 7%e Dyke of Japan) 15 Mi-kaeri Yanagi [Oazing back WUlow-tree) 16 Yosliiwara Jiuja ( Yoahiwara Shrine) 17 The "Aisome-zakura " {Chen-y-tree of First Meeting) 18 The " Koma-tsunagi-matsu " {Colt tethering Pine-tree) 18 The " Ryojin no Ido " {Traveller's Well) 18 Governmeut Edict-board and Regulations at the Omen (Great Gate) . 18 The Present Omon 19 »Of the Reasons why going to the Yosliiwara was called " Oho ve Yukn " ". 21 Classes of Brothels 21 Hikite-jaya (" Introducing Tea-houses"') 28 The Ju-hachi-ken-jaya (^Eighteen Tea-houses) 41 The " Amigasa-jaya " {Braided Hat Tea-hotises) 42 The " Knjaku Nagaya " 42 " ' Tlie Kembanslio ' 43 Classes of Prostitutes 44 " Kamuro " ( Young Female Pages) 52 Shiuzo 55 Yarite (Female Managers) 59 Tlie " Kutsuwa " 62 Tlie " Wakaimono " (Male Servants) 63 Hokan and Geisha 67 The Buropeanization of the Yosliiwara and the Introduction of Loo- phooan Courtesans 84 Zegen ( Procurers) 85 The Dress of Courtesans 94 Coiffures of the Yujo 99 Rooms of the Yujo 104 Tsumi-yagu no koto 108 Sobana {"Ml round tips ") 112 Shokwai (First Meeting) and Mi-tate (Selection of Women) 112 I-tsuznke no koto 118 O cha wo hiku to iu koto 118 Shiki-zome no soba-burumai no koto 119 Shashin-mitate-cho {Photograph Albums for Facilitating the Selection of Women) 121 VI CONTENTS PAGE Signs aud Cyphers Showing the fees of Courtesans 133 System of Book-keeping in the Yoshiwara 124 Brothel Advertisements 130 Age5-a no sashi-gami (Summons to the ^^Ageya ") 134 Yosliiwara Dialect 136 Magic Cliarms of tlie Yosliiwara 140 Yoshiwara " Pot-pourri " 15" Oai-ya no koto {Cook-liouaes of the Yoshiwara) 158 Famous Tilings of the Yoshiwara 160 Peddlers, Hawkers, aud Beggars 160 The Examination of Licensed Women at the Hospital for Venereal Complaints 163 Results of Medical Inspection 166 Mu-sen Yukyo (^Qoing on a ^^Spree" without having any money to poy for if) 167 Yoshiwara) Yoshiwara -gayoi no Jiurikisha ( The Jinrikisha Traffic of the 170^ Sanya-uma da-chin-dzukS ( I'he Cost of Hiring Horses to and from the Yoshiwarn. 174 Byo-cliu oyobi In-shoku no koto (Of the Sickness of Prostitutes and of Their Meals) 176 Hike no koto {Closing Hours in the Yoshiwara) 177 Koclio no koto ( The Next Morning) 177 Hiru-jimai Yo-jimai no koto ( The Day and Night Engagements of Courtesans) 177 Raku-seki no koto (7'Ae Removal of Names from the Register of the Yoshhvara) 178 Gwaishutsu oyobi tobo (Exit and Flight from the Yoshiwara) 180 Yujo byo-slii oyobi j6-shi no koto (Of the Death and Double-suicide of Courtenans) 183 Shin- Yoshiwara no Bodaiji {The Cemetery of the Shin- Yoshiwara) .... 186 Karitaku no koto ( The Temporary Prostitute Quarier) 186 Dochu no koto oyobi tsuki-dashi no koto ( The Processions of Yujo and the First Appearance of " Recruits " in the Yoshiwara) 191 Yo-mis6 " Suga-gaki " no koto ( The Night Exhibition and the Svgagaki.) 201 Daijiu-mai uo koto (Dancing of Millionaires) 206 Daikokn-mai uo koto (Daikoku-mal Dancing) 210 Introductory Songs of the " Daikoku-mai " 211 Dote-bushi no koto oyobi Hayari-uta {Dote-bushi [Songs) and Popular Songs) 214 Annals of a Year 217 Naka-uo-clio no Hana-ue {Flower-planting in the Naka-no-oho) 220 Toro uo koto (Lanterns) 232 Niwaka Dancing 235 Tori-no-niaclii 245 — CONTENTS Vll PAGE Yoshiwara Najia-fusliigi (The Seven Mysteries of the Yoshiwnr<i) 246 Yoshiwara uo Kyo-ka (^Vomic Poetry) 247 Yoshiwara Kwai-rok-ki {^Chronology of Mre Disasters in theToshiwaro') 248 Furisode Kwaji ( The Great Mre of A/eireki) 254 Mei-gi ryaku-den (_Brief Sketches of the Live^ of Famous Courtesans). 261 Takao 261 Haua-ogi 264 Tamakoto 267 Katsnyama 268 Segawa 270 Usugnmo , 271 Osumi 274 Ko-murasaki 275 Kaoru 378 Kokouoye 281 Kiuoknni-ya Buuzaemoii 282 The Laws Relating to the Control of Prostitution 288 Forms of Contracts between Brothels and Courtesans 305 The Medical Aspect 311 Result of Medical Inspection in the Shin-Yoshiwara, 1808 315 Result of Medical Inspection in the Shiu-Yoshiwara. January to April 1899 315 Statistics re Social Evil in Japan in 1898 316 Pros and Cons 316 Correspondence from the "Japan Times " 316 Notes on " Jigoku " or Illicit Prostitutes 326 Appendix The Government of " Tlie Nightless City" 331 Details of " Employees " Books 842 The Medical Inspection of Prostitutes 344 Special Inspection 345 Hospital Regulations 347 Medical Statistics 359 Digest of the Regulations of the Yosliiwara Guild 361 The Validity of Debts 366 " Yard" "Peooatum illud horribile, inter Christianas non nomi- nandumy 367 "Golgotha"—The Last Hours, Death, and Burial of a Cour- tesan 373 Five Curious Legal Documents actually used in tlie Yoshi- wara in 1902 380 List of Illustrations. FACING PAOE Artist Painting Mural Decorations 14 A Familiar Guest in a Brothel 16 The "O-mon'' or Entrance Gateway of the Yoshiwara 18 Street scene in the "Naka-no-cho" 22 Types of Modern Courtesans 44 Type of Modern Courtesan in "State" Costume 48 Type of Dress Worn by a Courtesan 50 Modern Courtesan and Her Attendants 52 Modern Courtesan, Attendant, and Kamuro 54 The Debut of a "Shinzo" 56 Courtesan Making Her Toilette 106 , Courtesans Composing Letters to their Guests. :} Arranging "Tsumi-yagu" 108 Guest Detained by "Love and Stress of Weather" 118 Courtesans on Their "Rounds" 120 Modern Courtesans in Their "Cages" 202 Courtesans about to pay New Year's visits 218 Gathering of Courtesans at the "Hassaku' 224 Preparing "Mochi" for the New Year 228 Courtesans Viewing Cherry Blossoms 230 Illuminated Lanterns 232 The "Niioaka-odori" (80 to 1803) 236 The "Yaro" 368 The Grave of a Courtesan 372 Tombs of "Double-suicides" 376 The "Mu-en-dzuka" 378 — PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. O long as the human race shall last, so long as human appetites demand illegitimate gratification, so long as human blood shall course hot in the veins, so long as men have passions, so long as women are frail, so long as illicit pleasure has attraction for bewildered wallowing humanity, and so long as lust—" the headstrong beast " stalks through the earth, venery and dissipation will undoubtedly continue to claim thousands of unhappy victims. " Vice, like disease, floats in the atmosphere," and not- withstanding the strenuous eftorts which have been made in all countries and ages to eradicate prostitution, it still exists rampant and invincible. History demonstrates the sad truth that all human efforts have been—and probably will ever be— unequal to the task of stamping out the social evil from our midst, and we are there- fore forced to recognize that the most we can hope to achieve in the direction of ameliorating its consequences is to regulate and control its worst features. Many and earnest have been the vain attempts of European reformers to grapple with the evil, but their efforts have invariably ended in disappointment. The Church has thundered and anathematized, the secular authorities have enacted severe and even cruel laws, but the courtesan still survives and will doubtless survive and flourish until the waters of Time have engulfed the World. Japan has not stood still among the nations in her endeavour to solve the problem of prostitution, and the pres- ent system of legal control is to all intents and purposes a development of that inaugurated well-nigh three centuries ago. — XII PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. While admitting the existence of objectionable features in the Yoshiwara, it is evident that a system which has stood the test of three hundred years must possess some good points to account for its long lease of life, and it is also manifest that in the course of three centuries a great many curious customs some good, some bad—must have crystallized around the in- stitution. Being no partizan or special pleader, I have simply con- fined myself to what I believe to be assured facts, and hope that the contents of the volume will be of interest and service to persons who are anxious to impartially investigate the customs of one of the most remarkable institutions in this country. I have compiled this book with the object of pro- viding foreign students of sociology, medical men, and phil- anthropists, with some reliable data regarding the practical working of the system in the leading prostitute quarter of the Japanese Metropolis, and I leave my readers to form their own opinions as to the pros and cons of the success or otherwise achieved by the plan of strict segregation adopted in this country. To Japanese who may think that the Yoshiwara is a dis- grace to Japan I would Temark that this Empire has by no means a monopoly of vice ; and to foreigners who declaim against the " immorality of Japanese " I would say frankly " Read the ' History of Prostitution' by Dr.