Usuumotayu's Personal Consignment: The Prosperity of the Genroku Period and the Dreams of the Townspeople Reflected by the Oiran (Late 17th - Early 18th Centuries)

Usuumotayu's Personal Consignment: The Prosperity of the Genroku Period and the Dreams of the Townspeople Reflected by the Oiran (Late 17th - Early 18th Centuries)

The Genroku period (1688-1704) was the most colorful and mature period of Edo culture, when economic leadership shifted from the samurai to the townspeople. The wealthy merchants flaunted their fortunes, and the practice of taking on Yoshiwara oiran (courtesans) became a symbol of social success. Usukumo Tayu of Matsubaya was one of the most famous oiran (courtesans) of her day, and the amount of money a merchant would pay to marry her was 350 ryo, equivalent to 15 million yen today. The promise was not only a romantic one, but also a major transaction in which capital and honor were at stake. The spirit of "vanity" and "extravagance" characteristic of the Genroku culture is condensed here, and the aesthetics of the townspeople, which can be traced back to the literature of Ihara Saikaku, can be felt. The sight of oiran (courtesans) leaving the gate in palanquins was like a nobleman's wedding, and gave the common people dreams and longings. Usuumotayu's personal appearance is
a symbol of the Genroku culture, a mixture of opulence and passion, desire and pride, and reflects the pinnacle of prosperity reached by the merchant class.