Farewell scene between a courtesan and a regular customer - A night in Yoshiwara where emotions and pride intersect (Edo period)

Farewell scene between a courtesan and a regular customer - A night in Yoshiwara where emotions and pride intersect (Edo period)

In the Yoshiwara of the Edo period, it was not uncommon for the relationships between prostitutes and their regular customers to deepen. Although the brothel was a place of amusement, over the years they developed feelings for each other, and eventually developed a "familiarity" with each other. However, this was not a tranquil world, but a complex one in which contract and duty, love and fiction were intermingled. For the oiran, regular customers were the main source of income and emotional support, but at the same time, they had to be prepared to see "the ones who leave" off.

In the parting scene, the customer pays the bill and quietly says, "Tonight is the last night. The oiran does not break into a smile and replies lightly, "Come again. However, behind her fan lurked a shaky heart that was holding back tears. This duality of heart is the essence of the Yoshiwara courtesan.

This "parting emotion" is repeatedly depicted in the ukiyoe and willow poems of the time. Ukiyoe artist Kitagawa Utamaro's work depicts the oiran seeing off a customer with a mixture of regret and pride, showing that the brothel was not just a playground but a mirror reflecting human emotions.

Oiran do not show tears. It was a professional pride and a womanly aesthetic. Even if their hearts were aching, they accepted the parting as "a dream that lasts only for this night. This is where the "chic" of the Edo people resides. In this silence, the fragility and strength of the world of Yoshiwara were condensed.