Dignified and sunken first flower / Tranquil struggle of the first oiran-kai (late 18th century)

Dignified and sunken first flower / Tranquil struggle of the first oiran-kai (late 18th century)

In the late Edo period, Yoshiwara brothels were more than places of lust; they were "theaters of social interaction" where ritual and aesthetics were combined. At the "first oiran-kai," when a prostitute welcomed a guest for the first time, it was customary for the oiran not to look at the guest or exchange words. This silence had two sides: "pride without flirtation" and "bargaining to enhance value.

However, if the silence lasted too long, the room would become tense. The role of the drummers and geisha was to ease the atmosphere, and they adjusted the temperature of the room with impromptu puns and songs. This kind of "pause" was the essence of Edo's chic. Laughter was the breath that released tension, and silence was the beginning of love.

At that time, Edo had matured into a society that respected the subtleties of emotion and timing more than formality. Oiran were not mere prostitutes, but stage actresses with education and artistic skills, and the silence of the first meeting was the first act of their "performance. How to maintain the silence and at which moment to raise one's eyes - this was the drama of love and bargaining, and the "art of silence" that the Edo people had discovered.