Yoshiwara: The Pleasure Quarters Of Old Tokyo
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good to fair. Paperback. Page Condition: Good - possible tanning. Markings: possible previous owner inscription.
A vivid work of social and cultural history, Yoshiwara: The Pleasure Quarters of Old Tokyo chronicles the rise and fall of Japan's most infamous licensed pleasure district, which operated for over two centuries in the heart of Edo-era Tokyo. The authors present a richly detailed account of the courtesans, patrons, artists, and merchants whose lives intersected within Yoshiwara's distinctive wooden walls, painting an intimate portrait of a world that was both celebrated and condemned. Drawing on historical records, period artwork, and literary sources, the work uncovers the complex social hierarchies and rituals that governed life in the quarter, from the highly trained oiran at the pinnacle of the pleasure trade to the lowest-ranked workers who served them. Written with the authority of seasoned cultural historians, the narrative illustrates how Yoshiwara served as a crucible for much of Japan's distinctive ukiyo-e art, popular literature, and entertainment culture, leaving a legacy that endures in Japanese art and memory long after the district's abolition in 1958.
Author: Stephen And Ethel Longstreet
Format: Paperback
Genre: Asian history
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good to fair. Paperback. Page Condition: Good - possible tanning. Markings: possible previous owner inscription.
A vivid work of social and cultural history, Yoshiwara: The Pleasure Quarters of Old Tokyo chronicles the rise and fall of Japan's most infamous licensed pleasure district, which operated for over two centuries in the heart of Edo-era Tokyo. The authors present a richly detailed account of the courtesans, patrons, artists, and merchants whose lives intersected within Yoshiwara's distinctive wooden walls, painting an intimate portrait of a world that was both celebrated and condemned. Drawing on historical records, period artwork, and literary sources, the work uncovers the complex social hierarchies and rituals that governed life in the quarter, from the highly trained oiran at the pinnacle of the pleasure trade to the lowest-ranked workers who served them. Written with the authority of seasoned cultural historians, the narrative illustrates how Yoshiwara served as a crucible for much of Japan's distinctive ukiyo-e art, popular literature, and entertainment culture, leaving a legacy that endures in Japanese art and memory long after the district's abolition in 1958.