At its peak, Yoshiwara was a bustling pleasure district that gained fame both in and outside Japan, with courtesans and geisha entertaining noblemen and commoners alike. Behind its allure, however, is a tragic history built on slavery, one that we can still see traces of today.
Yoshiwara Video
How Yoshiwara Started
They say sex work is a profession as old as time. The pursuit of carnal pleasures is a basic instinct for humans, after all. In Japan, one particular pleasure district reached worldwide fame for its allure: the floating world of Yoshiwara.
Yoshiwara started as an idea pitched by a brothel-keeper, who convinced authorities that the best way to contain vice and prevent it from muddling public morality was to contain it to a single pleasure quarter. In reality, though, he was seeking to monopolize the trade. As self-serving as his intent was, his pitch worked. His request was granted and Yoshiwara came into existence in 1613.
The Structure of Yoshiwara
Now, how does one create a secluded pleasure quarter in 17th century Japan? Similar to castles, Yoshiwara was surrounded by a moat. This map shows the district’s layout in 1905. The streets followed a grid design and the thick lining signifies the high-fenced walls.
To enter Yoshiwara, one must go through the only way in and out, the Big Gate known as “Yoshiwara Omon.” The entry is also marked by a willow tree, fondly dubbed “Mikaeri Yanagi”, or the Looking-back Willow Tree. This is where a patron would look back with longing after a night of indulging in pleasure.
This moat structure benefits Yoshiwara in many ways. For one, it’s easy for guards to keep tabs on who comes in and out. The distinct borders also make the district appear more exclusive. Last but not least, this structure makes sure that the women of Yoshiwara stay inside its walls. Many of the women here, after all, did not come out of their own volition. And because there’s only one gate, escaping would be out of the question.
Ukiyo: The Floating World
Now, you must be wondering what makes Yoshiwara such a famed and longed-for destination during its time. In Buddhism, there is a term called “ukiyo” (憂世) which means “sorrowful world.” It highlights the impermanence of worldly things as humans go through the cycle of birth and rebirth. This word was adopted by the people of Yoshiwara, retaining the sound, but changing the kanji so that it means “floating world” instead. Like its Buddhist origin, this word also signified the fleeting quality of life, but instead of focusing on sorrow, it encouraged a hedonist approach. Life is fleeting, so why not indulge in unbridled joy? As such, the word “ukiyo” (浮世) came to capture the very essence of Yoshiwara.
One’s Yoshiwara experience is as deep as their pockets go. Customers with money to burn are treated to an elaborate experience, starting with a feast. Jesters, geisha, and attendants serve and entertain him. Once the night deepens, the customer is led to another house, where his companion for the night awaits. He can either choose one from a group on display, or the house chooses one for him. It’s here where he spends the night giving into the flesh, his length of stay also determined by the money in his pocket.
Life of Yoshiwara Courtesans
This all sounds great for the customer, but what about the sex workers? What was their life like?
When we look at depictions of Yoshiwara in popular media today, we’d often find strong female characters who seem to know how to make powerful men bend to their whims, but the reality of the women back then was largely different. The courtesans were divided into several ranks, the lowliest among which is called yūjo, the quick and easy fix for poor men in need. The highest-ranking were called oiran, distinguished for their top-class social and artistic skills. It’s important to note here that few made it to oiran status. Even fewer managed to wield actual power.
In fact, many of the women in Yoshiwara started out as girls sold by their parents for money. And because the brothel-keeper paid for them, they are in debt. The rules behind this debt are inhumane, and it’s typical for a woman in Yoshiwara to remain in debt for the rest of her life. No matter how hard she worked, she couldn’t buy her way out.
The life span of a Yoshiwara oiran was fairly short. It was common, then, to contract sexual diseases and die or to give in to existential depression and just end your suffering yourself. Even in death, these women were treated like objects. Oftentimes, their dead bodies were wrapped in cloth and then hurled over the walls of Jokanji Temple during wee hours of the morning. The monks are then left to find the dead bodies and perform funeral rites, without a name to mark their graves. For this reason, the temple was nicknamed “Nagekomi Dera” or the “Throw Away” temple.
Great Kanto Earthquake
Perhaps the event that highlights the tragic fate of Yoshiwara women the most is the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Described as one of the world’s worst natural disasters of the early twentieth century, the Great Kanto Earthquake devastated Tokyo and Yokohama with a magnitude 7.9 earthquake, which was a followed by a fire that swept across prefectures.
An estimated 140,000 lives were lost in the disaster, and among them were the women of Yoshiwara who were trapped in a fiery hell. Because there was only one way in and out of Yoshiwara, people had difficulty escaping. Some sought refuge in the large pond at Yoshiwara Benten, but only met their demise by drowning or being boiled alive.
Here’s the thing though. Although the disaster almost obliterated Yoshiwara, the pleasure quarter recovered and went about its usual business. In fact, it was only in 1958 when Yoshiwara closed down, after Japan’s anti-prostitution law was introduced.
Yoshiwara Today: Where to See Traces of the Red-Light District
So what remains of Yoshiwara today?
Senzoku Yon-chome
The area where Yoshiwara once was can be found north of Asakusa, in an area called Senzoku Yon-chome. And while not as grand or famous as it used to be, it’s still a red-light district. Soaplands and other shops offering adult services stand here. Japanese laws define prostitution as compensated penetrative sex, so as long as the businesses don’t engage in that, they’re technically legal.
Tokyo has several red-light districts, the most known today is arguably Kabuckicho in Shinjuku. If asked to compare the two, I would say that it’s easier to pass through Kabukicho because it also happens to be where a lot of drinking pubs and restaurants are. It’s a busy street that many people pass through to get to wherever they need to be.
Senzoku, on the other hand, is surrounded by quiet residential areas, so it doesn’t get a lot of traffic from people who don’t have any business there. There are barkers standing on corners watching people pass by, so there’s a tense, uncomfortable atmosphere about the place (especially for someone like me who was holding a camera as I walked by.) As I passed by one shop, I also overheard someone trying to coax two men inside their establishment.
Senzoku Yonchome (千束４丁目)
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Yoshiwara Omon
In the same neighborhood, you will find a place called “Yoshiwara Omon,” but it only retains its name and nothing else. There’s no gate, it’s just an open area.
Yoshiwara Ōmon (吉原大門)
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Mikaeri Yanagi
The latest incarnation of the great willow tree where patrons mourned the end of their visit is still there, although it hardly stands out as a landmark.
Mikaeri Yanagi (見返り柳, Looking-back Willow Tree)
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Ohaguro Ditch Walls (Yoshiwara Moat)
The moat that separated the floating world of Yoshiwara from the rest of Edo is long gone, but a fraction of the wall remains. Unmarked, hiding coyly in asphalt, that you wouldn’t even know its historical significance unless you happen to stumble upon it on Google Maps.
Ohaguro Ditch Wall Ruins (お歯黒どぶの石垣擬定地)
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Jokanji Temple (Nagekomi Dera)
Jokanji Temple, where so many bodies of nameless women were buried by monks after they were tossed over the walls, still thrives. By the entrance is a sign explaining its nickname as Nagekomi Dera.
Jōkanji Temple (浄閑寺)
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Yoshiwara Benten Shrine
And the pond where so many women lost their lives? Only a small portion of it remains, located in what is now called Yoshiwara Benten Shrine. At the center stands a tall statue of the Goddess of Mercy, as if protecting the spirits of the nameless women who spent their lives trapped in Yoshiwara until the end.
Yoshiwara Benten Shrine (新吉原花園池[弁天池]跡)
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