This thesis discusses the question as to how Yoshiwara was envisioned as a virtual place of escape in prints of the Edo-period (1603-1867). This is done through visual analysis of woodblock prints...Show moreThis thesis discusses the question as to how Yoshiwara was envisioned as a virtual place of escape in prints of the Edo-period (1603-1867). This is done through visual analysis of woodblock prints as primary sources, and information and arguments of academic literature as secondary sources. Overwhelmed by the strict Tokugawa society and the many calamities ravaging the city, the people of Edo could find a place of escape in the concept of the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters depicted in print. The practice of gayū (travelling whilst laying down) and the concepts of tsū (refinement) and iki (an urban aesthetic), are essential to this understanding.Show less
Saikaku's works have been researched at great lengths. Many western and even more Japanese researchers attempted to create new viewpoints on his works. Due to the fact that more papers have written...Show moreSaikaku's works have been researched at great lengths. Many western and even more Japanese researchers attempted to create new viewpoints on his works. Due to the fact that more papers have written in Japanese than in western languages, not all aspects of Saikaku's works have made it overseas to a great extent. Two of these aspects are sui and tsū. Both internal parts of the red-light district culture that was thriving during the Edo period (1600 - 1868). Some researchers have touched upon these subjects, but tend to keep their explanation limited. As a western researcher, it is hard to come across information on these two aspects written in English. In this thesis, we will try to establish a definition of these two concepts and put the definition to the test by looking at passages of Kōshoku ichidai otoko 好色一代男 ("Life of an Amorous Man") written by IHARA Saikaku 井原西鶴 (1642 - 1693).Show less
In the Heian period, miyabi began as a means for the political underdog to establish his superiority through cultural knowledge. Later it became a more widespread ideal among courtiers, dictating...Show moreIn the Heian period, miyabi began as a means for the political underdog to establish his superiority through cultural knowledge. Later it became a more widespread ideal among courtiers, dictating social and cultural comportment. Though many works of miyabi literature, often written by women, are celebrated nowadays, both miyabi and women were severely undermined by Buddhism at the time of their creation. Buddhism deemed women impure and unable to reach enlightenment, due to menstruation and childbirth. Literature, as a wordly attachment, was deemed sinful. This view of literature was combatted at later the miyabi literature was revered as something which could show the way of the Buddha to the people. When the licensed pleasure quarter of Edo, the Yoshiwara, was opened in 1618, miyabi was used to create a sophisticated image that made the trip to the outside the city seem worth the effort. Tales and images of a dream world with beautiful and sophisticated women – the Edo version of a Heian court lady - drove many customers to the quarter. The Yoshiwara, although the only legal place, was not the only place that offered sex. To keep making a profit, the Yoshiwara brothel owners had to use marketing tactics. It became fashionable to be tsū, a man who knew the ways of the Yoshiwara. In collaboration with brothel owners, guidebooks and critiques were published, that showcased and ranked the best of the Yoshiwara. Sophisticated portraits of high-ranking prostitutes looked nearly identical, but only those with the knowledge needed could ‘read’ the images and perceive the details about the women, as well as pick up on the erotic undercurrent.Show less
