The Nightless City: Geisha and Courtesan Life in Old Tokyo »

This unsurpassed study from 100 years ago ventured into Tokyo's red-light district to survey geisha and courtesan life and offer meticulous descriptions of training, dress, social hierarchy, and erotic practices. 49 black-and-white illustrations; 2 maps.

History of the Yoshiwara Yukwaku     1
Nihon-dzutsumi (The Dyke of Japan)     15
Mi-kaeri Yanagi (Gazing back Willow-tree)     16
Yoshiwara Jinja (Yoshiwara Shrine)     17
The "Aisome-zakura" (Cherry-tree of First Meeting)     18
The "Koma-tsunagi-matsu" (Colt tethering Pine-tree)     18
The "Ryojin no Ido" (Traveller's Well)     18
Government Edict-board and Regulations at the Omon (Great Gate)     18
The Present Omon     19
Of the Reasons why going to the Yoshiwara was called "Cho ye Yuku"     21
Classes of Brothels     21
Hikite-jaya ("Introducing Tea-houses")     28
The Ju-hachi-ken-jaya (Eighteen Tea-houses)     41
The "Amigasa-jaya" (Braided Hat Tea-houses)     42
The "Kujaku Nagaya"     42
The "Kembansho"     43
Classes of Prostitutes     44
"Kamuro" (Young Female Pages)     52
Shinzo     55
Yarite (Female Managers)     59
The "Kutsuwa"     62
The "Wakaimono" (Male Servants)     63
Hokan and Geisha     67
The Europeanization of the Yoshiwara and the Introduction of Loo-chooan Courtesans     84
Zegen (Procurers)     85
The Dress of Courtesans     94
Coiffures of the Yujo     99
Rooms of the Yujo     104
Tsumi-yagu no koto     108
Sobana ("All round tips")     112
Shokwai (First Meeting) and Mi-tate (Selection of Women)     112
I-tsuzuke no koto     118
O cha wo hiku to iu koto     118
Shiki-zome no soba-burumai no koto     119
Shashin-mitate-cho (Photograph Albums for Facilitating the Selection of Women)     121
Signs and Cyphers Showing the fees of Courtesans     123
System of Book-keeping in the Yoshiwara     124
Brothel Advertisements     130
Ageya no sashi-gami (Summons to the "Ageya")     134
Yoshiwara Dialect     136
Magic Charms of the Yoshiwara     140
Yoshiwara "Pot-pourri"     156
Dai-ya no koto (Cook-houses of the Yoshiwara)     158
Famous Things of the Yoshiwara     160
Peddlers, Hawkers, and Beggars     160
The Examination of Licensed Women at the Hospital for Venereal Complaints     163
Results of Medical Inspection     166
Mu-sen Yukyo (Going on a "Spree" without having any money to pay for it)     167
Yoshiwara-gayoi no Jinrikisha (The Jinrikisha Traffic of the Yoshiwara)     170
Sanya-uma da-chin-dzuke (The Cost of Hiring Horses to and from the Yoshiwara     174
Byo-chu oyobi In-shoku no koto (Of the Sickness of Prostitutes and of Their Meals)     176
Hike no koto (Closing Hours in the Yoshiwara)     177
Kocho no koto (The Next Morning)     177
Hiru-jimai Yo-jimai no koto (The Day and Night Engagements of Courtesans)     177
Raku-seki no koto (The Removal of Names from the Register of the Yoshiwara)     178
Gwaishutsu oyobi tobo (Exit and Flight from the Yoshiwara)     180
Yujo byo-shi oyobi jo-shi no koto (Of the Death and Double-suicide of Courtesans)     183
Shin-Yoshiwara no Bodaiji (The Cemetery of the Shin-Yoshiwara)     186
Karitaku no koto (The Temporary Prostitute Quarter)     186
Dochu no koto oyobi tsuki-dashi no koto (The Processions of Yujo and the First Appearance of "Recruits" in the Yoshiwara)     191
Yo-mise "Suga-gaki" no koto (The Night Exhibition and the Sugagaki)     201
Daijin-mai no koto (Dancing of Millionaires)     206
Daikoku-mai no koto (Daikoku-mai Dancing)     210
Introductory Songs of the "Daikoku-mai"     211
Dote-bushi no koto oyobi Hayari-uta (Dote-bushi (Songs) and Popular Songs)     214
Annals of a Year      217
Naka-no-cho no Hana-ue (Flower-planting in the Naka-no-cho)     229
Toro no koto (Lanterns)     232
Niwaka Dancing     235
Tori-no-machi     245
Yoshiwara Nana-fushigi (The Seven Mysteries of the Yoshiwara)     246
Yoshiwara no Kyo-ka (Comic Poetry)     247
Yoshiwara Kwai-rok-ki (Chronology of Fire Disasters in the Yoshiwara)     248
Furisode Kwaji (The Great Fire of Meireki)     254
Mei-gi ryaku-den (Brief Sketches of the Lives of Famous Courtesans)     261
Takao     261
Hana-ogi     264
Tamakoto     267
Katsuyama     268
Segawa     270
Usugumo     271
Osumi     274
Ko-murasaki     275
Kaoru     278
Kokonoye     281
Kinokuni-ya Bunzaemon     282
The Laws Relating to the Control of Prostitution     288
Forms of Contracts between Brothels and Courtesans     305
The Medical Aspect     311
Result of Medical Inspection in the Shin-Yoshiwara, 1898     315
Result of Medical Inspection in the Shin-Yoshiwara. January to April 1899     315
Statistics re Social Evil in Japan in 1898      316
Pros and Cons     316
Correspondence from the "Japan Times"     316
Notes on "Jigoku" or Illicit Prostitutes     326
Appendix
The Government of "The Nightless City"     331
Details of "Employees" Books     342
The Medical Inspection of Prostitutes     344
Special Inspection     345
Hospital Regulations     347
Medical Statistics     359
Digest of the Regulations of the Yoshiwara Guild     361
The Validity of Debts     366
"Yaro"-"Peccatum illud horribile, inter Christianos non nominandum"     367
"Golgotha"-The Last Hours, Death, and Burial of a Courtesan     373
Five Curious Legal Documents actually used in the Yoshiwara in 1902     380