ABSTRACT
In the "Yoshiwara-Enkakush,i" (1$ [lj{78'1f!'o1-~) it is mentioned that kutsuwa (a "bridle bit" ~m) is another name for a brothel. Some say that a certain Hara Saburoyemon (who had formerly been a groom of the Taiko) having founded a brothel, the name of kutsuwa was given to it in commemoration of his old employment and the kutsuwa (bits) he had handled in bye gone days. Another account says that the prostitute quarter of Fushimi resembled the shape of a bridlebit, and hence this name came into popular use. Still another version is given by the "Noburu.tga-ki," (f~~ar.) according to which a retainer of Nobunaga's, named Ota Umanosuke, was once detected receiving bribes. This coming to his master's ears, the latter, who was of a humorous turn of mind, composed the following poem and sent it to the guilty henchman : -" Zeni-gutsuwa ha1neraretaru lea, Umanosuke ? Hito-chiku8ho to !core wo iuran "-"Have you been bitted and bridled with a bit made of money Umanosuke? "\Ve must call you a manbeast." (You have been gagged by a golden bit, you may therefore be described as a man-beast). In the Chinese characters, kutsuwa, (t;!\) meant" selfishness" or "covetousness."
