SHIN
YOSHIWARA — OIRAN DOCHU
FROM THE SERIES TOKYO MEISHO
(FAMOUS PLACES OF TOKYO)
The
name of the artist of this print is unknown; however we know that it was done
in 1925 as a lithograph rather than printed by the more common means of
printing a typical ukiyo-e. In the print, one sees courtesans of the pleasure
quarter, Shin Yoshiwara, parading with their assistants on Nakamachi Street.
Typically in earlier times, such a procession was the main event of the day in
Shin Yoshiwara and was referred to as “Oiran Dochu.” The custom had in fact
been discontinued with the advent of Meiji but was revived on the occasion of
the Taisho Expo in 1915. Here the women had the opportunity to show off their
beauty and gorgeous clothes.
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