Sipping cold miso soup in the shadow of the splendor of Yoshiwara (Late Edo period)

Sipping cold miso soup in the shadow of the splendor of Yoshiwara (Late Edo period)
The world of Yoshiwara is often associated with the image of luxury and splendor, but the lives of the prostitutes who wore the splendor of the world were in fact surprisingly frugal. As the records show, the daily routine was a simple meal of rice, miso soup and pickles for lunch, and cold leftovers for dinner. Most of the luxurious costumes and hairpins worn by prostitutes were rented, and the cost was charged at a later date as an addition to the kojo, leaving the prostitutes with little money at their disposal.

In Yoshiwara, as a rule, it was forbidden to bring in food, and prostitutes had no choice but to eat what they were given by the Okiya. Because of the long working hours and overcrowded environment, they had no time to eat properly, and often hurriedly shoveled down cold rice in between customers. Their nutritional condition was poor, and they were prone to falling ill, resulting in a vicious cycle that further increased their medical expenses.

In addition, Yoshiwara was a place where going out was strictly restricted, and prostitutes could not go out to buy food by themselves. Even if customers offered food, it was limited to a small number of high-class prostitutes, and common prostitutes had little to do with it. Even if the food served to the guests was glamorous, the prostitutes themselves were not allowed to eat it, and their own meals were always simple.

Such a simple life was not mere thrift, but a structural poverty created by the Yoshiwara. The luxurious costumes and decorations were intended to attract customers, not for the prostitutes themselves to live in affluence. The outside of Yoshiwara is a glamorous spectacle, while the inside is a life of poverty and poor food. This discrepancy is the essence of the huge brothel system of Yoshiwara.