It is mentioned in the “Yoshiwara Daizen” (吉原大全) that Kaburo (or Kamuro) was the name of young females in the Imperial Court who had the greater part of their head shaven and only a long kind of scalp-lock left hanging. The little girls who attended to the courtesans in ancient times were dressed in imitation of the child attendants formerly attached to the Court, and were styled Kiri-Kamuro. Their portraits are often seen in pictures of the Tosa and Hishikawa ukiyō-e (realistic pictures) schools. The clothes of the Kamuro were cha-jōro named Miyakoji, belonging to the Naka-Ōmiya in chiefly made of white bleached linen, on which was dyed a pinetree pattern (waka-matsu no some-moyō), or of dyed calico.

The Tayū and Kōshi-jōro were entitled to two and three Kamuro attending upon them respectively while the Sancha-jōro had only one; this system of limiting the number of the Kamuro of a courtesan was instituted to distinguish the class to which she belonged. The wearing of a kind of clothes, made of material called ōgiya-zome, by the Kamuro was considered fashionable. In the era of Hōyei (1704–1710) a San-Sim-machi, was attended by two Kamuro when she walked through the quarter, and this excited a good deal of comment, the elders of the place claiming that it was contrary to established custom. The matter, however, was settled when Miyakoji explained that one of the little maids who had accompanied her was the servant of a sister courtesan. This precedent once established, it became a custom for Sancha-jōro to sometimes walk out attended by two Kamuro under the pretext that one of these girls was not her own servant. It is said that this Miyakoji was a very popular woman, and that in the house of Naka Ōmiya, to which she belonged, her memory was preserved for several generations by means of calling her successors by a similar name. Since then Wakashu-Kamuro and Bōzu-Kamuro came into fashion, and of later years it became the custom for Kamuro to wear the same kind of beautiful clothes as the courtesan on whom she was in attendance. Even at the present day it is the custom for the Kamuro to wear cotton clothes, dyed with a pine-tree pattern, during the first week in January, a period which is known by the Japanese as matsu no uchi.

The “Yedo Kwagai-Enkwaku-Shi” (江戶花街沿革誌) says:—When a young girl was brought to a brothel as a Kamuro, it was usual for the keeper of the house to see and name her. In the selection of these names high-flown cognomens such as were bestowed on courtesans were carefully avoided, and pretty innocent names were chosen. These names rarely exceeded three syllables, and never four in any case. In the event of two Kamuro being attached to one courtesan, names were given them to match: e.g. one being called “Namiji” (waves) the other would be named “Chidori” (plover), or if one was called Kureha (吳織 was one of the weavers who came from Go—a kingdom of China—in ancient times) the other would receive the name of Ayaha (a weaver from another kingdom in China.) The courtesan to whom the Kamuro belonged was called her “ane-jōro” and this ane-jōro found the Kamuro in clothes and paid all other expenses in connection with the child. The keeper of the brothel watched the behaviour and disposition of all the Kamuro in his houses, and if any promised to become famous courtesans he had them instructed in every branch of deportment, and taught the banjo (samisen), harp (koto), floral arrangement (ikebana), incense-burning (senkō 燃香), tea ceremonial (cha-no-yu), and other accomplishments which were considered necessary in aspirants for the “profession.” The behaviour of Kamuro towards their ane-jōro was generally gentle and submissive, and they waited on her most assiduously. They attended to all her wants, waited on her at meals, lit her pipe when she desired to smoke, accompanied her when she promenaded in the Naka-no-chō, and ran all her errands in the neighbourhood. The Kamuro would also perform trifling services for the guests of her ane-jōro such as bringing water for washing their hands, etc. It was the custom originally that no Kamuro should assist at a wine party, as she was expected to remain sitting by the side of her mistress in the same manner as the page of a feudal lord sat behind his master, but later on this custom was changed and now the Kamuro wait on guests and pour out the saké. When there was no available ane-jōro the Kamuro used to wait on the master of the house, and if the latter found her smart, beautiful, and likely to become a popular courtesan, he took her himself as a sort of adopted daughter, and had her educated at his own expense so as to fit her for the calling. On the other hand, girls who gave no promise of turning out well in the business were left without any education whatever, became household drudges pure and simple, and ended their days in dismal ignorance: under the most favourable circumstances, this latter class of Kamuro would not be able to attain to reading characters other than hiragana (an easy form of native script) and to a slight smattering of samisen playing. When a Kamuro attached to a courtesan was sick, her place was taken by one of the girls attending on the master, and it was also a custom for one brothel to make a loan of Kamuro to a neighbouring house whose keeper was short of these children. There were no particular rooms assigned to the Kamuro but they generally slept in a room next to that of their ane-jōro. They took their meals in the kitchen together with Shinzō (see chapter headed thus) and Wakaimono (see that heading) and in the day-time were allowed to romp about the galleries of the brothels and play together.

The term Kamuro has only been employed in the Yoshiwara, and in the Okabasho (which includes the prostitute quarters at Shinagawa, Shinjuku, Senju, etc.) young servant maids were either called mame-don or ko-shoku. Even in the Yoshiwara there was a rule limiting the number of kamuro to attend to a courtesan of a particular grade.

Shinzō.

In the “Yoshimura Daizen” (吉原大全) it is mentioned that the name of Shinzō (newly constructed) has been borrowed owing to the fact that a newly launched ship is so called. When kamuro (these girls generally entered service between the ages of five to seven years) had grown up to thirteen or fourteen they were made Shinzō, according to the discretion of the ane-jōro. About ten days prior to this event the girls obtained some ohaguro24 (collected from seven different friends of their ane-jōro) and blackened their teeth for the first time. On the actual day of the ceremony soba (buckwheat macaroni) was made and partaken of by all the inmates of the house, and presents of the same food were sent to every jōro-ya, tea-house, hikite-jaya, and funa-yado with which the brothel was acquainted and on friendly terms. Sometimes sekihan (rice boiled with red beans) was distributed instead of buckwheat macaroni. It was also the custom on these occasions to put out a large number of seirō (vessels for steaming food) ranged in a row in front of the brothel, and to place them on a long table of unpainted board measuring from 9 to 18 feet in length. On a table (also of unpainted wood) inside the brothel, in the room of the ane-jōro, were exhibited rolls of dress materials, tobacco-pouches, fans, towels, etc., which were to be given as congratulatory presents to friends of the house as souvenirs of the ceremony. In front of the tea-house or funa-yado, where the guest who was supposed to finance the ceremony was wont to come, a number of seirō were piled up, and to all the tea-houses and funa-yado presents of mushi-gwashi (steamed cakes) were distributed. On this day the interior decorations of the brothel were so magnificent and splendid that according to ancient writers the spectacle defies the power of language to adequately portray them. The shinzō, or imōto-jōro did not at once appear in the “mise”. For a week or more from the day of her initiation she promenaded the Naka-no-chō (clad each day in different garments) under the guidance of her ane-jōro, and in case of the latter having any imōto-jōro she would bring her along. When the week of introduction was past, the fellow-courtesans of the girl would “shimai-tsu-kawasu” her to their ranks by engaging her and paying her agedai every day in turn, and she would receive congratulatory presents from her friends. Sometimes two or more shinzō were initiated in one house at the same time. When a girl who had not been brought up in the Yoshiwara was made a shinzō she was technically termed a “tsuki-dashi” (one who is pushed out to the front) and as, in this case, there would be no ane-jōro to look after her interests, the kutsuwa (explained further on) provided her with the necessary bedding, wearing apparel, and furniture suited to a heya-mochi, chūsan (hirusan?), or tsuke-mawashi as the circumstances required. The amount of money spent greatly depended on the personal attractions and beauty of the girl. As in the case of a regularly trained fille de joie, she promenaded the Naka-no-chō, accompanied by another shinzō, for the space of a week from the day when she made her début, and, as a necessary accessory to this ceremony, a present of sakazuki (small saké cups), each bearing the name and crest of the debutante, was made to all the various tea-houses and funa-yado.

There was another class of prostitutes in the Yoshiwara called yakko which originally, it seems, was generally recruited from the ranks of samurai women. Every now and again a female of gentle birth would be guilty of a lapse from virtue, and, in order that the stern code of samurai honour might be vindicated, she would be sent to the public stews for a term of three, or even five, years as an exemplary punishment for her immoral behaviour. In later times all public women who were sold into the Yoshiwara from other quarters were similarly termed yakko.

In the “Yedo-Kwagai Enkakushi” (江戶花街沿革誌) it is stated that the shinzō were divided into two classes, viz—the furi-sode-shinzō and tome-sode-shinzō. For the sake of brevity, the former was sometimes called “Furi-sode” or “Furi-shin,” and the girls themselves were either recruited from among the kamuro who had attained the age of 13 or 14 years, or by outsiders specially engaged for the purpose. When the furi-shin had reached an age when furi-sode (long sleeves) were no longer suitable to them, they were attired in the same manner as their seniors. With the change of their garments came the change of the general name by which they were known, and they were now called “tome-shinzō” (short-sleeves shinzō) or more simply “tome-sode” (short-sleeves) or else “tome-shin.” When a kamuro was about to become a “furi-shin,” her master would first of all summon her parents and surety (shōnin) and hand over to them a baishū-shōmon (certificate of sale) in exchange for the ordinary hōkōnin shōsho (certificate of hire) which had been given them when the young kamuro was first engaged. The master would also hand over a certain sum of money to the parents, under the expressive name of mi-no-shiro-kin (money for the body), the amount of which depended on the beauty and accomplishments of the unfortunate girl. It would, however, sometimes happen that the astute parents of the girl had been in communication with a zegen (a professional procurer) prior to this event, and when they were summoned by the brothel-keeper they insisted on removing their daughter as the term of her engagement as a kamuro had expired: they then sold the girl, at a greatly advanced price, to another brothel through the agency of the zegen. This action of the girl’s parents meant some loss to the original master, as he had to go to the trouble and expense of training another courtesan in all the tricks of the profession, whereas, if he had secured the kamuro, he would have had a girl who knew every little point regarding the business routine, and who was already trained and ready to commence her new duties. As the original contract was to employ the girl as a kamuro, the master was powerless to resist the wishes of the parents when the term of apprenticeship was up, so, as a precautionary measure against either future disappointment or dunning, the brothel-keeper, in many instances, purchased the child outright, and demanded a certificate of sale when he first engaged her as a kamuro.

Yarite.
(Female Managers.)

The duties of a yarite consist in watching everything which happens in a brothel, and includes the management of the courtesans and the due espionage of both the inmates of the house and their guests. Nowadays these women are called “obasan” (“auntie!”) The yarite’s room is generally situated in front of the stairs so as to be more convenient as a position from which the general affairs of the house can be observed. No person can fill this important post satisfactorily unless she be thoroughly well versed in the ins and outs of every matter pertaining to the Yoshiwara, and unless she possesses a fund of actual practical experience on which she can draw in an emergency. The yarite, therefore, are for the most part picked from the old veterans who have themselves served their time as courtesans. In the Ō-mise (first class house) the yarite are ensconced in their rooms, employing shinzō who play the role of aide-de-camps, while in the komise (small houses) they are accustomed to receive visitors themselves and recommend suitable courtesans. The komise yarite is indeed kept very busy, for she has not only to receive guests, arrange meetings, etc., but she has to watch the reception given to visitors by her girls, form an opinion of the visitors themselves, and attend to a hundred and one other things also. The komise yarite may be described as “cute,” and there are mighty few things that escape the notice of these lynx-eyed old beauties! The yarite originated in the furo-ya (a sort of brothel) and their original title was “kwasha” (火車 = a fire wheel). In the “Kiyū Shōran” (嬉遊笑覽) is a note to the effect that the meaning of kwasha was “to grasp” (tsukamu) which in former times was used in the sense of “buying” prostitutes: it also had the meaning of “making oneself familiarly selfish; and as the yarite made rules which her women were bound to obey, she often showed herself heartlessly selfish towards the courtesans, and hence the name of kwasha. The regular wages received by yarite were insignificant, but their real sources of income were tips received from guests and (by previous arrangement with their employer) commissions on the sums spent by guests. They invariably wore maki-obi (a girdle simply wound round the waist without being crossed at right angles at the back). In ancient times they wore a hood or cap over the mae-gami (a coil of hair above the forehead) and wore maki-obi of black satin. They received wages twice a year, viz:—about the middle of August (chūgen = 15th day of the 7th month; the last day of the Feast of Lanterns) 2 Bu (Yen 5.00), and the end of December (seibo) 3 Bu (Yen 7.50).

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

(In those days the rate of commission allowed to the yarite was 200 mon (20 sen) on every Bu spent on food by guests, and she levied 200 mom (20 sen) per guest on the tea-house concerned). Even to this day the “obasan” receives a certain percentage of commission, so she is fairly well off if she is employed in a popular and largely frequented house. In smaller house the visitors give the “auntie” a tip of 20 sen or 30 sen, and those who omit to propitiate the lady in this manner find that things are not made pleasant for them. In certain houses, however, a notice is posted to the effect that no gratuities are expected by the servants, that the proprietor is anxious not to burden guests with extra expenses such as tips, etc., and that patrons will be treated with all possible consideration irrespective of such presents. Sometimes a “complaint-box” is provided and hung up, and beside it is a notice, written in bold characters, setting forth the laudable intentions of the proprietor and requesting guests to make immediate complaint if they have been improperly treated, or if they detect any objectionable practices being carried on in the establishment. Practically, however, the prevailing customs of the Yoshiwara are so ingrained and hard to fight against that there is scarcely any visitor who has courage enough to lodge a complaint.

In ancient times it was the obnoxious custom for the yarite to administer corporal punishment to prostitutes who were accused of neglect of duty, and, taking advantage of their power, they often subjected the miserable object of their displeasure to very cruel and inhuman treatment. Happily, such practices have almost ceased since the principle has been recognized of according courtesans a reasonably full measure of liberty; but even in these enlightened days sinister stories are told regarding the harsh treatment of women in some of the lower class houses. No doubt the obasan, greatly abuse their power at times, and this arises from giving them too much liberty and discretion in dealing with the inmates of brothels: they find themselves in a position to domineer over a number of other women (all of whom are practically dependent on the good-will of these female overseers) and, unless they happen to be exceptional persons, they are naturally apt to give way to their tempers and to show unfair partiality towards their subordinates, treating some kindly enough and others most cruelly. What with tips, squeezes, and lending money to the girls at usurious rates of interest, the obasan enjoy a fairly lucrative position.

The “Kutsuwa.”

In the “Yoshiwara-Daizen” (吉原大全) it is stated that the custom of calling the proprietor of a brothel “kutsuwa” came into vogue when the prostitute quarter was situated at Yanagi-chō. The place was laid out in the form of a Japanese bridle-bit (kutsuwa = a bit: shaped like a cross moline within a circle) and the houses were built in that shape, so it became the fashion for visitors to call the brothels kutsuwa.

It is stated in the “Ruishū-Sanyō” (類聚纂要) that brothels were named kutsuwa (which in Chinese characters reads 亡八 and means “forget eight”) because persons frequenting them were apt to forget the eight virtues, viz:—filial piety, brotherly kindness, loyalty, faithfulness, politeness, righteousness, integrity, and the sense of shame. In the Genna (1615–1623) and Meireki (1655–1657) eras the kutsuwa were called kimi-ga-tete (sovereign and parent: or “Prince of the Courtesans”) owing to the fact that at the time of the opening of time Yoshiwara the daimyō and other notables used to call the founder of the quarter—Shōji Jinyemon—by that name. One never hears this term nowadays.

In the “Yoshiwara-Enkakushi” (芳原沿革誌) it is mentioned that kutsuwa (a “bridle bit” 馬銜) is another name for a brothel. Some say that a certain Hara Saburōyemon (who had formerly been a groom of the Taikō) having founded a brothel, the name of kutsuwa was given to it in commemoration of his old employment and the kutsuwa (bits) he had handled in bye gone days. Another account says that the prostitute quarter of Fushimi resembled the shape of a bridle-bit, and hence this name came into popular use. Still another version is given by the “Nobunaga-ki,” (信長記) according to which a retainer of Nobunaga’s, named Ōta Umanosuke, was once detected receiving bribes. This coming to his master’s ears, the latter, who was of a humorous turn of mind, composed the following poem and sent it to the guilty henchman:—“Zeni-gutsuwa hameraretaru ka Umanosuke? Hito-chikushō to kore wo iūran”—“Have you been bitted and bridled with a bit made of money Umanosuke? We must call you a man-beast.” (You have been gagged by a golden bit, you may therefore be described as a man-beast). In the Chinese characters, kutsuwa (亡八) meant “selfishness” or “covetousness.”

Wakaimono.
(Male Servants.)

The “Yoshiwara Shin-hanjō-ki” (吉原新繁昌記) says:—According to the custom of the Yoshiwara, all men-servants in brothels were called wakaimono (young fellows), and this term was applied, in a most inconsistent manner, even to middle-aged or old men in the employ of these houses. The word is practically equivalent to “boy” as used by foreign residents in the East. There are different duties assigned to the wakaimono. In the best houses they are divided into mise-no-hito (“shopmen”), naka-don (inside men), toko-ban (bed men), chūrō (overseers), nezuban (night watchmen—this duty is undertaken by all the men in turn), furo-ban (bathroom men), shita-ban (downstair men), etc. In the medium houses the chūrō are omitted, but in some of them another class of men termed oi-mawashi (overseers) are employed. In the case of most lower-class houses these grades are not known, or at least the division of labour is not so well arranged. In medium houses all the business is transacted by “shop-men,” “inside-men,” “downstair-men,” while in the lowest establishments, such as are to be found at Waru-gashi, Rashō-mon, and Fushimi-chō, a couple of men meet all the requirements of the brothel. It is also needless to say that there is a considerable difference in the number of servants employed according to the number of prostitutes kept by the various houses. The wages of these people range from 75 sen to 1 Yen per month (in 1899) which of course, would not be enough to keep them in clothes and food were it not for their perquisites and pickings. A “shop-man” (mise-no-hito), for instance, receives a squeeze of one sen per dai (a dish containing food) and one sen per each bottle—holding 1 gō—of saké consumed by guests, and besides 5 rin (1⁄2 sen) for each pair of boots or clogs of which he takes charge. [This fee for taking charge of foot-gear is deducted from the agedai of the courtesans.] There is another source of income which is by no means despicable. It is derived from the extortion—for no milder term seems adequate to express the meaning—of a small, or sometimes large, balance of change which is due to guests when the latter settle their bills. In the event of a bill amounting to Yen 1.90, for instance, if a guest hands over 2 Yen in payment, the courtesan, who is ready for the occasion, urges—nay almost compels—him to give the change (tsuri) to the servant. It may happen that this goes against the grain of the victim, but he generally yields to the pressure of the girl’s persuasion for fear of being considered mean. This squeeze is called a chōchō (butterfly) and in some houses a collection of “butterflies” amounting to more than two or three Yen per night is netted by the astute wakaimono. It will be observed that these “butterflies” are caught by the courtesan, therefore if the wakaimono are not on friendly terms with the women they will not be successful in catching such nice fat chōchō.

According to the rules of each house accounts are kept either by the mise-no-hito (“shop men”), nakadon (inside men), or yarite. In every houses the proceeds arising from the sale of waste paper (kami kuzu) form part of the income of meshi-taki (the kitchen servants). Tips are naturally desired by all the servants of brothels, but the yarite, shinzō, and nakadon are the most frequent recipients of them, as their duties bring them into direct contract with guests. The ōi-mawashi (overseers) and meshi-taki (kitchen maids) have no share in tips other than those given under the name of sō-bana by visitors.

The powers wielded by the bantō (head clerk) of first-class houses are similar to those exercised by the masters themselves, and the respect in which they are held by the other servants almost equals that which is accorded to the employer himself. For instance, a bantō generally comes down to his “office,” so to speak, every evening about 6 o’clock and remains until midnight (nakabike). On his arrival at, and departure from, the brothel, he is attended by the naka-bataraki (parlor-maids?) and other servants, all of whom treat him with the most profound respect. Any commission (i.e.—kasuri or “squeezes”) gathered in prior to the departure of the bantō (this is before 12 o’clock p.m.) goes to him, but after that hour the “profits” are divided among his subordinates. The monthly revenue of a bantō of one of the best houses from this source is, generally speaking, not less than 50 or 60 Yen, and even in a medium or lower-class house it ranges from 12 or 13 Yen upwards to 20 or 30 Yen.

The wakai-mono are technically known as gyū and the origin of this term is explained in the “Dōbō Goyen-ho” (洞房語園補) as follows:—

In the era of Shō-ō (1652–1654) there was a brothel-keeper in Fukiya-chō named Idzumiburo no Yohei. In this house was a man called Kyūsuke who had been long employed in the establishment and was consequently experienced in the reception of guests. The man, who was an inveterate smoker, made a peculiar pipe out of a thick piece of purplish coloured bamboo tube to which was attached a mouth-piece and bowl, and he was so fond of this contrivance that he carried it round with him everywhere, sticking it in his girdle when not in use. He was hump-backed and short in stature, and when he went about smoking his long pipe the good folk of the place said he looked like the Chinese character kyū (及). The name was gradually transferred from Kyū-suke, an individual, to the whole class of attendants. First people spoke of going to “Kyū’s” (及) place, and this nick-name afterwards became almost a general term for men-servants in brothels. The present word “gyū” is a corruption of “kyū.”

Hōkan and Geisha.

In the Yoshiwara, taiko-mochi (hōkan) are called otoko-geisha in contra-distinction to female geisha. More generally they are called tayū-shū. At first they were divided into several classes, among them being Uji (Uji’s school) Sugano (Sugano’s school) Ogiye (Ogiye’s school) and Sukura-gawa; their profession was to attend saké parties and sing or play to amuse the guests. Gradually, however, they were forced to look after various affairs of their customers in order to buy the good-will of the latter. At present they have completely degenerated. In spite of the fact that the Yoshiwara is the veritable birth-place of the hōkan, those belonging to the quarter are far inferior to their contemporaries of the City proper in many respects. When a hōkan of the present day is called to attend a party of guests in a brothel, he enters the room holding a folded fan in his hand, and after saluting the guest who has called him snaps the fan he carries with a sharp clicking sound and expresses his obligation to his patron’s companion in the stereotyped phrase—“oiran maido arigatō” (thank you madam for your constant favours). He then bows in turn to every person in the room, including other courtesans and geisha, his actual patron being disregarded for the time being. As soon as the party gets livened up from the effects of liquor, and the feasting has began to flag, the jesting and buffoonery of the hōkan waxes fast and furious and is accompanied by droll contortions and gesticulations, ashi-odori, suteteko, and even hadaka-odori.25 These disgusting and highly suggestive antics of the hōkan, far from scandalizing guests, are received with great applause and appear to afford much amusement to all present. In the Yoshiwara, the most popular hōkan at present (1899) are Zenroku, Minchū, Hambei, Shōkō, and Heiki. The usual costume of a hōkan consists of a haori of black cloth having five crests upon it, and a kimono of a different coloured crêpe. According to the narrative of an old man, there were in the era of Tempō (1830–1843) two classes of hōkan named zamochi and taiko-mochi. The former were well versed in every branch of polite accomplishments including kō-cha (incense-burning and tea-ceremonial) ikebana (floral arrangement) shikyoku (playing various kinds of musical instruments) etc., and were generally called to parties given by nobles, gentlemen, and wealthy merchants. In private life they were admitted to the friendship of poets and literary men, and even in ordinary times wore crested ceremonial clothes. When attending their customers they wore a small wooden sword called a “kami-ire-dome” (pocket-book holder) and carried about them a sum of at least 25 ryō (about Yen 250) for the purpose of making payments on behalf of patrons, as it was not the custom to receive money from the latter on the spot. The ordinary taiko-mochi, on the other hand, were those who had no special accomplishments, but even these were more accomplished than their modern representatives. They were also colloquially termed “no-daiko.”

When a hōkan intends to enter the profession on his own account, he goes round to the various brothels and the tea-houses under the guidance of his teacher and fellow hōkan for the purpose of introducing himself and soliciting patronage. This proceeding is described as hirome wo nasu (to “advertise” oneself) and the larger the number of fellow hōkan who follow the debutante the greater the honour to the latter. On this day he requests the tea-houses or brothels with whom he is particularly friendly to recommend him to guests, and the latter are under a species of moral obligation to assist the beginner in this matter. In the “Dōbō Go-yen” (洞房語園) it is stated that men who entertained parties of persons, under engagement by guests, were called taikomochi (大鼓持 = a drum-holder). In the days of Ōta Nobunaga there lived in the city of Kyōto a man named Jige Yazaemon who was an expert player on the drum, and whenever he was called into the presence of notables to give a performance he used to beat the instrument while it was being held by one of his pupils, he himself being seated on a drum-shaped tub. Among his pupils was one named Idayū who was skilled in the act of holding the drum, and who was a great favorite of his master Yazaemon. * * * For this reason, parties wishing to engage Yazaemon used to request his performance through Idayū. This state of things gave umbrage to other pupils of Yazaemon, so they spoke of him contemptuously as “that taiko-mochi” (drum-bearer). From that time, persons who endeavoured to curry favour by flattery began to be spoken of as “taiko-mochi” until the word become almost equivalent to “sycophant.” Yazaemon was the founder of the “Kwanzé” school of drum-beating, and in consideration of his fame in this line he was allowed to sit even in the presence of high dignitaries. In the “I-hon Kō-i” (異本考異) portion of the “Dōbō Go-yen” (洞房語園) it is stated that the origin of the name taiko-mochi is as above related, and that to match this title prodigals (hōtō-mono = a dissolute person) were called dora-uchi (鉦打 = bell/gong strikers). Of late years, entertainers of guests without special accomplishments have been termed “no-daiko” (“field-drums” or “rustic drums”) and this name was apparently given them as a term of contempt. Nowadays, geisha of both sexes have come into existence and assist in the entertainment of guests and courtesans just like the taiko. In ancient times taiko-mochi were known as taiko-shu. The origin of the hōkan in the Yoshiwara may be traced to olden times. The “Kuruwa Roppō” (廓六法) says:—“Taiko Naoyuki ga kuro no haori ni tate yotsume no mon-tsuki taru wo kite dote-bushi utōte uwate-sase ageya no sashi-gami ikutsu mo mochi, un-un” (Taiko Naoyuki was walking along singing a song known as “dote-bushi.” He was wearing a black haori with a “yotsume” crest dyed upon it, and was carrying sashi-gami from ageya [to various courtesans]). This refers to the state of a taiko-mochi being sent round by ageya to call women from brothels. Again it says:—“Taiko-mochi Naoyuki wa Shōji no mon wo onore no mon to su * * * (Taiko-mochi Naoyuki appropriated to his own use the crest of Shōji (Jinyemon)) * * * mon dokoro made o-ashi ni nitari (even his crest resembled cash). These statements show that this particular taikomochi was greatly liked by the founder of the Yoshiwara—Shōji Jinyemon—but from the tone of the language employed we may infer that even in those days the profession was looked down upon as a mean one. About the era of Kwambun (1661–1672) taikomochi came into existence in the Moto-Yoshiwara, and Naoyuki was the most popular of hōkan at that period. In the era of Manji (1658–1660) Kutsuno Jiroyemon was the best known man, while in the era of Genroku (1688–1703) Higeno Mukyū, Bōzu Kohei, and Nishuban Kichibei were favourites. The last two were really actors, but they occasionally entered the Yoshiwara in the capacity of taikomochi, and the fact that they were patronized by Kinokuni-ya Bunzaemon is mentioned in different books. About the Meiwa era (1764–1771) a taikomochi named Ippyō was very famous. (It was to the house of this Ippyō that Hiraga Kyūhei went for the purpose of meeting the courtesan Hinadzuru).

Sometimes the hōkan were called “kami” owing to the fact that among the regular attendants of Kinokuni-ya Bunzaemon was a man named Kamiyui Chōshichi, a hairdresser by profession, who excelled in dancing the gaki-mai (hungry devils’ dance) to the accompaniment of tunes which he whistled, and who was a great favourite with the Yoshiwara women. This individual, being a barber, was called “kami” (contraction of kami-yui = a hair-dresser) which of course was written 髮 (“hair”) but after a time the word was corrupted into kami (神 = a god) and perhaps this was why the name of massha (末社 a “small shrine”) was applied to the attendants of wealthy men and now is used colloquially to mean a “jester” or “buffoon.” The hōkan of the Yoshiwara is considered as below the female geisha in rank. In former times they lived outside the kuruwa and seldom made buffoonery their sole profession, but in the era of Meiwa (1764–1771) and Anyei (1772–1780) they gradually moved into the enclosure, licenses being granted to them by Shōji Jinyemon in which they were described as “otoko-geisha” (male geisha). By the 7th year of An-yei (1778) their number had reached twenty and they were recognized as a regular class of professionals. Since the establishment of the kemban-sho in the 8th year of the same era (1779) the geisha of both sexes were brought under its management, but so far as the hōkan were concerned the Government only knew and registered them as dote-ninsoku (embankment coolies) or suibo-kata (coolies provided to guard against flood) so the social status of these men may well be imagined. [At Fukagawa they were officially known as amma (shampooers), at Shinagawa as tsuye-barai (tipstaffs), at Naitō Shinjuku as kera-bori (insect-diggers)].

Since the Bunkwa and Bunsei (1804–1839) eras the singers of Katō-bushi and Itchū-bushi songs came to attend guests as hōkan. When called by notables or samurai they wore hakama, and, while entertaining the guests with various amusements, acted with civility, but in the presence of traders they discarded the hakama. Generally speaking these men were well versed in deportment and various accomplishments, and, as they were fit to move in the best society, they were often engaged by poetasters, dilettantes, lovers of art and letters, and wealthy people, more as friends and companions than as the mere mercenaries they are at present. Indeed they were such highly educated and accomplished men in so many respects that persons of higher social standing were in no wise ashamed to have them for intimate acquaintances. At present the hōkan are looked down upon as belonging to a mean profession because they practice it as their sole means of earning a livelihood, whereas, in former times, it was individual taste rather than necessity which attracted persons to engage in this vocation. In order to make both ends meet, the latter-day hōkan grovel before and toady to their guests, and thus they have forfeited all title to the respect of the public. The story of the visit made to the Yoshiwara by Hōichi may be read in the light of revelations by one who was thoroughly familiar with the quarter. In the Bunkwa (1804–1817) and Bunsei (1818–1829) eras the hair of the hōkan was dressed in a style known as “mame-honda” (豆本田) and in the era of Tempō (1830–1843) in the “ko-icho” (小銀杏) style.

Gradually the hōkan have deteriorated, but the men themselves are not solely to blame, for had their guests been respectable people, and punctilious sticklers for etiquette, these entertainers would have been compelled to maintain a high standard as regarded accomplishments and to have conducted themselves in a decorous manner. The trouble first arose through permitting laxity in the manner of dress and allowing the men to appear without hakama in the presence of guests: as soon as an inch was granted an ell was claimed, and so matters drifted on until the hōkan had sunk down to the very low social status they occupy nowadays. In an Oriental country, at any rate, if you permit any impropriety or breach of etiquette in silence the result will always be far-reaching and disastrous! In the pre-Restoration days, the fee (gyokudai) of a hōkan was 1 ryō (about 10 Yen) for 4 hours (from 6 to 10 p.m.) and out of this 500 mon (50 sen) was deducted by the kemban (see that heading) as commission. In order to evade necessity of paying a commission to the kemban, hōkan were in the habit of promenading the quarter in the hope of catching sight of guests whom they might happen to know, and of thus being engaged without the intervention of the registry office. This was known as “oka-dzuri” (岡釣り = land-fishing), and although the practice was known to the kemban that office simply winked at it. The present price of the hōkan’s services is 10 sen per joss-stick, and generally he receives a gratuity of from 50 sen to 1 Yen (from these payments certain small squeezes are levied by the kemban and the tea-house). There are now two classes of hōkan, one called jimae and the other kakae: members of the former (jimae) carry on their profession independently, while those of the latter (kakae) live in the houses of their masters and in return for board, and the loan of professional clothes, divide their earnings with their padrones. In fact the system is identical with the women geisha system. Among themselves they use many slangy expressions such as “O Chaya San” (instead of “hikite-jaya”). “Nesan” (instead of geisha: this word is only used in reference to the older women, the rest being designated by their own proper names), doing to a party by engagement is called “o zashiki” (instead of kyaku no seki ye deru); a brothel keeper’s private room “Go nai-sho” (instead of rō-shu no kyo-shitsu); courtesans “oiran” (instead of shōgi); etc.; etc. In the Yoshiwara the public women are supposed to occupy the first position as leaders of society, so they are never spoken of as jōro or shōgi by any professional men and women, but called by the more flowery and euphemistic name of oiran.26 Any song in which the words “Yoshiwara jōro-shū (or shōgi)” occurs is sung; altered to “Yoshiwara oiran,” thus softening the expression and making the sound more agreeable and less offensive to the courtesans themselves. They also call a courtesan’s room “oiran no o zashiki” (the august room of the oiran instead of “shōgi no zashiki (courtesan’s room)). Shinzō, tea—house maids, etc., are spoken of by their respective names, and generally speaking, the same is the case with female geisha.

As female geisha are also controlled by the kemban-sho, their samisen boxes are placed out in a row at the office, each box bearing a paper label on which its owner’s name is written in large letters. Only the Naka-no-chō geisha are registered in this establishment, and it takes no cognizance of moguri geisha (a geisha who carries on her profession clandestinely) or private geisha kept in smaller houses. In summoning a geisha, tea-houses send a maid-servant and brothels a wakaimono (man servant) to the registry office, and this messenger calls out—“— san — oiran no o zashiki desu” (or translated freely “Miss — is wanted by guests in Miss —’s apartments”). So thoroughly do the clerks in the kemban-sho know their business that no further conversation takes place, and the geisha is sent out forthwith: in most cases the clerks do not even enquire from whence the messenger has come as they generally are quick to recognize his or her identity, and at night a glance at the lantern of the applicant (which always bears a name or device) shows them the house to which the geisha is to proceed. If the geisha thus called has already been engaged, or is unable to attend to the call on account of sickness or other cause, an answer is given to that effect. (In the latter case a toothpick is stuck in the samisen box to show that the geisha is not able to visit her guests). The servants of the kemban-sho (kemban no ko-mono) are employed in carrying the geisha’s samisen wherever she goes. When a geisha is about to make her début she goes the round of tea-houses and brothels, accompanied by her employer (kakae-nushi) and comrades, distributing to each house towels or saké-cups inscribed with her name. These calls are made by way of introduction and to solicit patronage (aiko wo tanomi) and (as is the case with a new hōkan) the larger the number of friends who are present on this occasion the greater the honour to the geisha. The “shin-gao” (new-face), as she is called, invariably wears on the day of her début garments made of silk crêpe (chirimen) dyed with three white crests on each of them. Her hair is dressed in the “shimada” style, her obi (girdle) tied in a bow called “taiko-musubi,” and when she walks she turns back the skirt of her dress a little so as to allow a glimpse of her exquisite crêpe petticoat (naga-jiban) beneath. In case of the debutante being an o shaku (a young girl training to become a regular geisha) the style of her dress is left to her own choice, and on the day of her introduction she is called by some guest in accordance with previous arrangements made through a tea-house or brothel. If the young geisha has no engagement on this first night of her professional life it is considered as a great disgrace to her employer. It is a custom for the Yoshiwara geisha not to wear clothes bearing crests, except during the time of the New Year’s festivities and other time-honoured holidays and festivals, but to dress themselves in plain striped stuffs. On the “crest days” (紋日 = mom-bi. These are the Go-sekku or five national holidays, tori-no-machi, etc.) geisha are generally engaged, by previous appointment, by tea-houses, brothels, or by the request of some guests, and they therefore stop, during the proper hours, in the houses where they have been engaged, even though there be no guests to attend to. [On these particular days they don their crested garments for the nonce.] Should the geisha fail to keep her appointment, or not remain at her post during the regular time in accordance with established rules, she will be scolded by not only kemban but by the tea-houses and brothels, and it will be said about her:—“Zuibun tare San wa zubora da ne!” or shitsurei wo shiranai” (“Miss So and So is very neglectful isn’t she?” or “She has no sense of propriety or courtesy”).