Fascinating stuff this – and a real challenge to Judeo-Christian mores. This also gives me a chance to enter into a new topic that is closely related to my novel Navaratri, that of the sacred prostitute.
Prostitution is not a sin under Buddhism. The payment of money, support, patronage, etc for sexual favours is considered fair and ethical. The Judeo-Christian condemnation of prostitution has a number of causes, which I will discuss at a later date. For now let me say that one is purely religious – several competing religions allowed some form of sacred sex and as the patriarchal Hebrews fought to remove any mention of the goddess, they also attacked any and all priestesses (some of whom engaged in sacred sex).
Shinto also has no moral issue with either sex or prostitution, so prostitution has always been legal in some form in Japan. This does not mean it was unregulated. There were periods when it was highly regulated. During the Edo period prostitution was only permitted in designated areas. These were collectively called ukiyo, the Floating World, because it was usually separated by a moat. These areas were filled with brothels, inns, tea houses and kabuki theatres. And with all things Japanese, these traditions became highly ritualised, mostly for aesthetic reasons.
I was familiar with the image of the Geisha, but what I did not know is that the Geisha is a relatively modern invention. The first woman to use the term was Geisha was a prostitute called Kikuya in 1750. Until then, the role of the chaste performer was performed by teenage dancing girls called odoriko, but the Geisha became more than a dancer: she was also a singer, musician, poet and conversationalist.
But here’s the interesting thing. I can recall seeing pictures and film of modern Geisha walking through the streets in traditional clothes. Except they weren’t Geisha, they were oiran – courtesans. To avoid offending Judeo-Christian sensibilities the narrators called the Oiran Geisha and pretended that she was a highly respected, high-class prostitute.
Bliss is a young hippie girl with an extraordinary, untamed mind: a guitar prodigy, a synesthete, but can she tame her wild talent?
Greenfields Site.
i think you would be intersted in the book the nightless city. it has a lot on the laws made in japan during and after 1950. i have read it and there are a few inconsistancys with the law and history of the time.
I am currently doing an assignment on Oiran and your website has been very helpful. I was wondering if you could help me with a few questions concerning Oiran, such as when and where did the tradition of Oiran first start. I had never heard of Oiran prior to this assignment and have found it a very interesting topic.
Nikki, Can’t help much. I did a general web search and found Wikipedia useful. Also look up Geisha.
Excellent discussion and entirely consistent with all I have read. I was impressed by Liza Dalby’s “Geisha” and am reading “Yoshiwara” by Longstreet and Longstreet now. I have a question. I understand (from Downer’s “Women of the Pleasure Quarter”) that the courtesans had a tradition of music (including different instruments) and dance that was entirely separate from that of the geisha. Can you shed light on that assertion? Many thanks! Bruce
I’m afraid I can’t help you there. It seems the geisha and oniran differentiated over time. It wouldn’t surprise me if they played instruments and sang different songs, although the oniran may have only sang when a geisha wasn’t available – there were different grades.