Collection of Japanese Collotypes from the Meiji period

Collection of Japanese Collotypes from the Meiji period

It is interesting to note that in Japan the job of massage was traditionally given to blind people. See 'Amma' yawning shampoorer

https://japancustomscostumes.wordpress.com/2018/11/04/collection-of-japanese-collotypes/

 

I find it rather interesting in reading their description of courtesans. It shows me that these descriptions were probably written by Westerners, with little understanding of Japanese culture.

The correct term in Japan for a courtesan was Oiran, which translates to "Older Sister". And when written in Kanji, the word consists of the words for "First Flower". The slang term for going to visit the Oiran area of a town was "Hanami", which means "Flower Viewing".

And this was a tradition that started in the Edo period (17th century), and was very much sanctioned. The Oiran had almost as much schooling in the arts as the Geisha did. Song and dance, reading poetry, flower arranging, calligraphy, almost all of the arts learned by Geisha. The only difference is that unlike Geisha, they slept with their customers.

And like Geisha, they spent years in training to achieve the rank. They were very selective in their customers, only accepting them by appointment and by referral. And had a very strict code in how they dressed.

Yujo were the common "streetwalkers", and they dressed like other peasants in the region. Those were not courtesans, they were only prostitutes.

Even today the Oiran has a place in Japan, although it is largely ceremonial. There are still several "Oiran Guilds" operating in the country, but they are seen as an off-shoot of the Geisha Guilds. Now they no longer rent themselves for sex, but participate in cultural events. In the annual Sakura Festivals (Cherry Blossom) in the larger cities, you have a traditional "March of the Oiran" (Oiran Dachu). Where 3 women wear traditional garb march in procession along with 70 servants. But in larger cities there may be dozens of Oiran participating, with over 100 servants. There is still stiff competition to gain one of the "Official Oiran" positions, as it is culturally highly coveted.



I got to see these a few times when I was in Japan, and it was always impressive. In the photo above you can tell the Oiran from the servants by the very high base Geta sandals they wear, without tabi (socks). Another way to tell an Oiran from a Geisha (and Yujo) is that the Geisha always wore the tabi sock (as did other women in Japan), with the big to separated from the other toes. Oiran did not do this. And the female "servants" were more accurately apprentices, who were in training to become Oiran themselves (other than the men who acted as porters and bodyguards).

Notice, in this photo the 2 Oiran visible have very elaborate head gear, a contrasting flowing blanket covering their hands, and no socks. They also have very distinctive geta, with usually 6" platforms. The female servants all have a uniform head covering, and also no socks and very low geta. The only ones wearing tabi are the male servants.

The photo in the link shows the girls wearing tabi socks. Which means these were regular prostitutes (which fits the description of Yujo), and not Oiran (courtesans). They were not Geisha, their outfits and hair were completely wrong.