Calling out to oiran in the middle of a courtesan procession - a festive occasion where Edo chic intermingles (Edo period)

Calling out to oiran in the middle of a courtesan procession - a festive occasion where Edo chic intermingles (Edo period)

The procession of oiran in Yoshiwara in the Edo period was not just an outing for prostitutes, but a kind of "processional art. The sight of oiran dressed in luxurious costumes and geta (high clogs), accompanied by kamuro (bald head) and shinzo (young men), slowly making their way through Naka-no-machi was a true picture scroll of Edo itself. They skillfully used fans and hand towels, twisting their bodies slightly with each step and charming people with their graceful gestures.

Among the onlookers were many travelers and merchants who had come from faraway places. Some of them shouted, "Hey, look at me! The scene of a courtesan responding to this call by lightly moving her fan has been depicted in numerous ukiyoe woodblock prints. Since it was considered impolite to directly exchange words, "silent conversation" based on eye contact and the movement of the fan was considered a symbol of stylishness.

This "oiran-doju," or courtesan costume, developed as a source of pride in the culture of the townspeople, even though it was regulated by the Tokugawa Shogunate. By the late Edo period, the presence of "show-off prostitutes" had taken root, and they competed with each other in art and dress, and the procession itself became part of the entertainment. Especially on cherry blossom viewing days and festival days in Yoshiwara, the streets were lined with onlookers, who shouted "Yo, Hinode tayu! and other shouts of encouragement flew whenever a courtesan passed by.

Such scenes were not mere entertainment, but a stage on which the common people of Edo shared their dreams and aesthetic sensibilities for a night. The every move of the oiran reflected the admiration of the craftsmen and merchants, and their envy of the women's dress and way of life.